Candy Clouds
by LuckyLadybug
Summary: CONCLUDED WITH CHAPTER 12! The climatic battle begins, but it is not assured that all will make it through.
1. The Summoning

**Yu-Gi-Oh!**

**Candy Clouds**

**By LuckyLadybug**

**Story Notes: Aw, it's the sequel to _Paper Flowers_:excited.: This is so gonna be awesome. _Magic Knight Rayearth_ has been a big inspiration in getting this off the ground. The YGO characters aren't mine, and the story and all other characters very much are mine! ****I apologize for the removal of the songs, but the new policy has forced me to remove them.  
**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter One**

_Natural disasters were everywhere. Immense cavities opened up in the earth. Tornados ravaged fields and buildings. Hurricanes rolled in from the ocean. At first Marik couldn't place at all where he was. Everything all seemed so foreign to him, especially the demolished state of the buildings and trees. It looked like a nightmare world that his Yami would have fun making an even bigger mess of._

Marik tossed and turned about in bed, flinging the covers every which way on the chilly winter night. It had started as a warm, Indian summer day, but when night had fallen things had quickly become nippy. Ishizu had made certain that her teenage brother was cosily snuggled under soft quilts before leaving to go to her own room. Marik was willing to burrow down under the fluffy bedding, but now the dream he was having was anything but pleasant. Something about it was so disturbing, so haunting, but he just could not put his finger on what it was.

_Slowly Marik began wandering through this Heaven-forsaken land. Everywhere he looked he saw homeless families desperate for food and water, and in many cases, decent clothing. They reached out for him, their eyes wide and pleading, begging for his help. Not knowing what to do, he walked on, swallowing the lump in his throat._

In the real world, Marik gave a soft moan. Now he was hanging partially off the bed—upsidedown—the tips of his fingers almost touching the carpeted floor as his arms hung out over his head. If Rishid or Ishizu were to come in, they would certainly be alarmed at the sight.

_As Marik ventured deeper into this world of chaos, he became aware of a young voice calling his name. The tones were familiar to him, but yet he couldn't place them. Who was calling him? Why did the caller sound so terrified and afraid? Marik ran faster, demanding to know what was wanted of him. But it seemed that, no matter how fast he ran, he never moved at all._

_That was when he noticed that a barrier seemed to separate him from everything around him. It was a nearly invisible substance, like a gel, but neither he or anyone else could pass through it. When he touched it, it became almost as hard as a solid wall._

"_Mr. Marik! Mr. Marik!"_

_The voice was right nearby now—and at last Marik recognized it. It was young Kade, a sweet four-year-old boy who had grown very fond of Marik during the time when Marik and his siblings had been stranded in the land of Juno. Now Kade was sobbing, reaching out in a frantic attempt to get through the barrier. "Why?" he whispered when he could not dive into Marik's comforting embrace. "Why won't you let me in, Mr. Marik? Why wouldn't you come back when you promised? We need you, Mr. Marik! Why won't you come?" The tears that slipped from his eyes were heartbreaking and Marik cried out in protest, shoving against the barrier with all his might—to no avail. _

The teenager slipped out of bed completely, knocking his head against the leg of the bed as he went down. With a cry of surprise and pain he awoke, his eyes snapping open.

Slowly he took in everything around him. This wasn't a dilapidated land at all. There were no hurricanes or tornados or . . . anguished children. . . . His room was the same as always—the Rod on the desk, the curtains open so that the moonlight would shine in, the covers and pillow spread on the floor, along with Marik himself. . . .

The boy muttered to himself, running a hand through his fringe of bangs. Ishizu and Rishid most likely had heard that loud thump and would come dashing in within a matter of moments to make certain that their treasured younger brother was alright. They were a bit overprotective now and then, but Marik knew they had every reason to be, especially after what they'd come through. He himself could be overprotective when it came to the safety of those he loved.

He pulled himself into a sitting position, wincing as the throbbing at the back of his head made itself known. In irritation he investigated the damage with his fingers and found a sore spot, which he promptly placed his pillow over. He snuggled into the softness, turning his thoughts to pondering on his dreams.

_Kade. . . . He had been dreaming of Kade . . . and Juno. . . ._

Never could Marik forget Juno. It hadn't been that long when he had gone there looking for his missing siblings. Then they had become entangled in a plot by wicked men to gain power over the land. Together, along with allies they met along the way, the Ishtars had struggled to put together the legendary Geates' Talisman before their enemies managed to. Kade had entered the escapade when he had begged for Marik to help him find his lost mother. Towards the final battle the woman had been found—and it had been discovered that she was the true queen of Juno. Good had triumphed that day and the Ishtar siblings had left—though at first it had seemed as though only two were leaving alive. Thanks to Yami Marik, who had been massacring every village he had come to, Marik had nearly been killed.

The boy sighed to himself. _Kade must still think I'm dead,_ he thought. There was no reason for him to believe otherwise. Marik hadn't revived until the ship he and Ishizu and Rishid were on was passing back into their own dimension. To Kade he would have appeared stiff and cold and unresponsive. _And I broke the promise I made,_ Marik berated himself, though he knew of course that he hadn't been able to help it. _I told him I'd come back and find him, but I wasn't able to._

"Marik?"

Lavender eyes raised to look up at the towering figure in the doorway. Then Marik smiled ruefully at his elder brother from his position on the floor, surrounded by his quilts and sheets. "Hello," he said, forcing himself to stand. It was so good to look into Rishid's eyes and see concern and recognition! Never could Marik forget the horrors of when he had arrived in Juno to find that Rishid and Ishizu didn't remember him. His heart still pricked every time he recalled it.

Rishid chuckled as he stepped into the room, avoiding the fallen bedding. "Are you alright, Marik?" he asked. The boy looked well enough. Slightly dazed, though. Or was it simply that he was worried? Rishid could understand completely if he was. They had come through so many trials. And it hadn't been that long since their experience in Juno. The wounds Marik had sustained there had only just recently healed up entirely.

Marik sighed. "Physically, yes," he replied, ignoring the protesting bump on his head. "Emotionally. . . ." He turned away, staring out the window at the bright moon and stars. The same lights of the sky shone over Juno. Was Kade watching them tonight? Had something gone wrong in Juno so that Marik really was desperately needed for some reason and not just wanted by the poor lonely child? Not that Kade wanting Marik was any trivial matter. Ever since they had returned from Juno, Marik had wanted to find a way to get back and see Kade again. He had promised! And Marik didn't intend to break a promise, especially not to a sweet, innocent child such as Kade.

"What is it, Marik?" Rishid came closer, laying his strong hand on Marik's shoulder. Even in the faint moonlight he could see some of the still-fading scars from the wounds Marik had sustained in Juno. And he felt a wave of guilt wash over him again for the way he had treated Marik during the time when he hadn't remembered him. Marik had forgiven him completely, but had Rishid ever quite forgiven himself? He had the feeling that he had not. It was so hard to pardon himself when he recalled all the harsh words he had spoken to Marik and even how once he had shoved him hard against a wall (though he hadn't really meant to hurt him, of course). He didn't consciously realize it, but his hand trembled slightly.

But Marik realized. He looked up at his brother, instantly realizing what was wrong. The boy gave him a kind smile, reassuring him that no blame was to be had. He could never not forgive Rishid, especially when Rishid never condemned him for Battle City. He kept gazing at the man until at last Rishid had to smile at him. It wasn't possible for him to stay gloomy when Marik was looking up so kindly at him.

"I was dreaming about Kade," Marik said now that Rishid had relaxed. "He needs me, Rishid." He turned to face his brother completely, studying the golden orbs seriously. Rishid would understand. Kade was a bit like Marik himself was to Rishid. Marik was fond of the child and wanted to protect him, just as Rishid always wanted to protect his younger brother.

Rishid blinked in momentary surprise. Marik didn't often have dreams, at least not the "visionary" type that Ishizu often did. Usually Marik's dreams were the normal, odd sort that most everyone has. And Marik usually felt that his dreams weren't so important that anyone would need to know about them. _Since he told me about this one, he must truly feel that it is more than just a dream,_ the man thought to himself.

Aloud he said, "I am sorry, brother. I wish I knew how to get us back to Juno, but I am afraid that is beyond my abilities." But he knew, and he knew Marik knew, that Rishid would give Marik anything he desired, if he was capable of it. For Rishid, Marik was his entire heart and soul and his reason for being alive. He wished more than anything that he did know how to send them back to the mystical land so that Marik could at last fulfill the promise he had made to the small child, but he was at a loss for how to accomplish that.

Marik sighed but smiled weakly. "I know," he said softly. But he would find a way to get back. He had to. Maybe if Shadi would come again, he would guide Marik once again in returning to Juno. But what was the likelihood of that? Shadi rarely showed up when anyone wanted him to. He came and went as he pleased and on his own whims.

Marik leaned against Rishid when his brother sat on the floor next to him, dozing as he pondered over how to resolve his problem. Was Kade in terrible danger? How would Marik be able to help him if he was? And why had Juno looked so horrible in Marik's dream? The land should be healing by now. What if it wasn't? What if something had gone horribly wrong after the Ishtars had left? Marik couldn't get the thoughts to leave him alone. And he shuddered as he slipped back into slumber.

* * *

The following day Marik went to visit young Mokuba. He often went to see the child when he was troubled, as being around one still innocent calmed his mind. Mokuba knew about the Ishtars' experiences in Juno, as Marik had explained much of it in detail when they had first returned home and found that everyone had been worried wondering what had happened to them. But as Marik knocked on the door now and was let in by Velma, he wondered if talking to Mokuba would really help now. Mokuba wouldn't really be able to offer any advice on what Marik should do to get back to Juno. Really, the only thing Marik could hope for was that Shadi would appear soon with information on how to return to the mythical land.

"Hi, Marik!" Mokuba chirped now as he came running from upstairs. Marik had to smile at the child's enthusiasm. Mokuba still seemed innocent and sweet, though he had been through a lot, and he was very smart as well. Marik had no doubt that one day Mokuba would be able to run KaibaCorp with ease, just as Seto did now.

"Hello, my friend," Marik replied, returning the greeting. He didn't think that his concern was apparent, but Mokuba noticed immediately.

"What's wrong?" The raven-haired boy stopped in front of the teenager six years his senior and blinked up at him worriedly. His poor friend was usually serious, weighed down with one care or another. It wasn't unusual for Mokuba to see him so somber, but he always felt sad when he did. He wished that Marik—and Seto—could be more happy.

Marik started, then sighed and shook his head. "Oh . . . it's just . . . I'm worried about Kade," he said finally, knowing it would be pointless to try keeping the knowledge from Mokuba. As they walked to the couch, and while the child listened, Marik then told of his vivid dream and how he wasn't sure it was merely a dream at all.

"Ishizu is usually the one to have the visions," the Egyptian remarked then, "so if I seem to be having one as well, there must be a reason for it." His shoulders slumped and he sank back into the softness of the couch, gazing up at the ceiling high above them. "It's frustrating. . . . I don't know how to get back to Juno and I'm sure that Kade must need my help." He rubbed his eyes tiredly.

Mokuba frowned, thinking. "Are you sure it's in some other dimension?" he asked then. "I mean, maybe it's just in some really weird part of our earth and we could find it if we looked hard enough." He knew that didn't sound likely, but it seemed that anything was possible and worth looking into.

But Marik shook his head again. "No," he responded, "it couldn't be. Shadi said it was in another dimension that existed here on the earth, but that it couldn't be reached by normal means. That's why he had to personally take me there before. And that's why I don't think I can get there again unless Shadi comes." It still puzzled him, though—why the guardian of the Millennium Items had helped him the first time. Had Shadi really considered it that important that Marik be reunited with his siblings? It was true that Shadi seemed to be friends with Ishizu. Or maybe Shadi had simply not wanted Yami Marik to terrorize all the poor people of that kingdom. But whatever the reason had been for the previous assistance, Marik didn't know if Shadi would help him again.

Mokuba tried to be optimistic, however. "Well, he probably will come then," he said. But even though he spoke in a somewhat cheerful tone, he realized that he didn't really want Marik to go. It had only been a miracle that he had returned safely the last time. If he went again . . . what if he really wouldn't come back? Mokuba didn't think he could bear losing his friend. He bit his lip, looking down. When he spoke again it came out in a whisper.

"Marik . . . if you go there again, what will happen?"

Marik gazed at his friend, it suddenly dawning on him how upset Mokuba must be. He had tried to gloss over the events that had taken place when he had been violently stabbed and nearly killed by his Yami, but Mokuba had known that he had been trying to do so and had eventually forced him to tell more of what had truly taken place. Now the poor boy must be afraid that something similar would happen this time—and that Marik wouldn't be allowed to return a second time. Gently he laid a hand on Mokuba's shoulder. "I don't know," he said honestly. "Nothing drastic, I hope. But I can't not go. If Kade is in trouble, I need to return and help him."

Mokuba sighed, looking up at him again. "Yeah," he agreed softly, "but . . . what if you don't come back?" He rushed on before Marik could answer. "Marik, when you go back . . . I want to go with you."

Marik was stunned. He looked into the blue-gray eyes, seeing that they were full of determination and resolve. But he knew he couldn't allow such a thing. Juno was not a good place for children. He hated that Kade had to live there—though he had hoped that conditions had improved. "Mokuba . . . I can't let you do that," he said softly.

Mokuba clenched his fists. "Why not?" he demanded. "I can look out for myself, Marik. I wouldn't be in your way or anything. Maybe I'd even be able to help." _And I'd make sure that we both got back! Well . . . all of us. . . . Ishizu and Rishid would probably be there too. . . ._

Marik shook his head. "It means a lot to me that you'd be willing," he said, genuinely touched, "but Juno—if it's as it was in my dream—is completely devastated. It's probably a warzone there again." And he couldn't help but remember that when they had left, one of the villains had never been apprehended. Perhaps he was the one responsible for whatever was wrong now. "Your brother would never want you to come along . . . and I wouldn't want to expose you to all of that. . . ." He could never even dream of it.

"All of what?"

They both looked up at the sound of the cold voice. Seto was standing in the doorway, watching them with an unreadable expression. Obviously he had just come along now—since he was not in the habit of eavesdropping—and had merely overheard the last part of Marik's words.

"Marik's gotta go back to Juno, big brother," Mokuba explained, "and I want to go with him!" He stood up, looking at the young CEO pleadingly.

Seto frowned, not liking the sound of that at all. Ishizu and Rishid had told him about Juno privately, and while he hadn't wanted to believe that the Ishtars had really traipsed off to some "fantasy land," he couldn't deny that Marik had been recovering from bad wounds upon their arrival. The last thing he wanted was for Mokuba to disappear for weeks and then return in the same condition—or worse. "That's out of the question," he said sternly.

Mokuba had been expecting that, but still he didn't look happy. "But Seto! . . ." he pleaded vainly.

"No, Mokuba," Seto answered firmly. "It would be too dangerous."

Marik nodded in agreement. "I don't want you involved, my friend."

"It's not like we haven't done dangerous things before!" Mokuba exclaimed in protest. The experience with Pegasus and Duelist Kingdom certainly hadn't been safe. Neither had Battle City—which had been crashed by poor, misguided Marik himself and his Rare Hunters—the ensuing Battle Ship, or the experience aboard Noa's fortress. Mokuba voiced all of this and then added, "Nothing else we've done lately has been safe, either," referring to Alcatraz Tower, Doom, and various other things that had just popped up in addition to the many mysteries they had become involved in.

Seto listened to Mokuba calmly. "And I didn't really want you involved then, either," he said when the boy had concluded.

Mokuba scowled at the floor, knowing this was true.

Marik tried not to smile in amusement at the child's expression. Truly he was pleased and humbled that Mokuba would be willing to put himself in danger in order to come along, but of course it couldn't be allowed. He hated for even his siblings to accompany him, but he knew that they would. Still, he also knew he would fear for their safety. What if Yami Marik chanced to show up in Juno again? It had been a nightmare the last time. Under his guise of The Red Zealot, the madman had ravaged multitudes of villages and murdered hundreds of innocent people. Marik was filled with unspeakable horror every time he saw or heard mention of that demon, for he himself had created it.

As quickly as any streak of humorous feelings was there, it was swiftly gone again at the mere thought of the demon Yami Marik. Marik sighed now and stood too, laying a hand on Mokuba's shoulder. "I'll come back fine," he said softly, hoping that he wasn't making another promise he couldn't keep. "Let's not worry about it, alright?"

Mokuba started at first, then sighed and looked up at him sadly. "I just wanted to help," he said softly.

"I know," Marik assured him firmly, "and I'm touched. It's just that . . . that Juno is such an unsafe place. Frankly, I wish Kade didn't live there." He tried to smile weakly. "I don't think he'd be all that safe in this dimension, either, though. There's too many modern devices he wouldn't understand."

Mokuba giggled a bit. "We could teach him," he offered.

Marik ruffled the child's raven hair. "I considered it at times," he admitted, "but in the end I don't think it would work. His mother is the ruler of Juno, so she can't leave, and Kade shouldn't have to be separated from her. So the only real solution is to fix Juno." The only question he had was, How would he—or anyone—do that? And why was there so much devastation (if his vision was really true)? Shouldn't Geates' Talisman have prevented a grievous catastrophe? Marik didn't understand any of it.

"Yeah," Mokuba sighed now, breaking into Marik's thoughts, "guess so." He knew there wasn't any point in continuing to plead to go along, so he knew he would have to resign himself to being worried about Marik for the next while and hoping that he would come back safely. But surely he would. . . . He had to make himself believe that it would be so.

Now the child hugged Marik tightly. "Just . . . be safe," he whispered, shutting his eyes.

Marik blinked in surprise and then returned the hug gently but firmly. "I will be," he vowed.

_

* * *

_

The next several days didn't offer any hope for getting to Juno, however. And Marik was becoming all the more distressed and distraught. His vision would return every night, becoming more detailed each time. And the poor boy would usually wake up on the floor, sometimes screaming for Kade and demanding to know what was wrong. Ishizu and Rishid could see that their brother was almost to the point of having a mental breakdown. They wanted badly to offer help and to help him get back to Juno and Kade, but they knew that they did not have the abilities to do so. They could only offer their most heartfelt comfort and wonder, as did Marik, why Shadi didn't come.

"He could resolve this," Ishizu frowned, feeling a bit of despair coming over her. Almost an entire week had passed since Marik's dreams had begun and there was no end in sight. If Shadi was not going to come, perhaps it meant that he didn't find this important enough to intercede in. Or maybe it even meant that he was indisposed, for whatever reason. The Egyptian woman clasped her hands in distress.

Rishid sighed, laying a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Perhaps," he agreed, "or . . . perhaps we're expected to resolve it ourselves." But that would be easier said than done. The only way Rishid could even think of attempting it would be to try sailing Marik's yacht back into the other dimension. But he doubted he would remember the right course to take. More than likely, he would only get them hopelessly lost on the ocean.

"I have considered that as well," Ishizu said quietly, "but I can see no logical way for it to happen." She looked into Rishid's golden eyes, seeing the kindness and concern displayed in their depths. "But . . . oh, Rishid! We cannot allow things to continue this way!" she cried suddenly. Marik was upstairs at the moment and attempting to sleep peacefully, but Ishizu was afraid that any minute he would be awakened due to his dream again.

Rishid looked at her sadly, then up at the stairs. "Yes," he agreed, "how well I know." Gently he put his arms around the woman, hearing Marik cry out and thump onto the floor. "How well I know. . . ." He hated feeling so helpless. More than anything he wanted to be able to correct this problem and to restore Marik to a peaceful slumber. But that didn't seem very hopeful at this point.

That was when several things happened at once. From outside came the abrupt screeching of tires and a thump. From inside came the ringing of the telephone. And from the middle of the floor came Shadi. Ishizu and Rishid could only gape in disbelief and try to determine what should be seen to first.

Marik, who was coming downstairs, had apparently answered the phone, as it was held to his ear. He spoke into the receiver, sounding annoyed, and then noticed Shadi. The cordless phone immediately dropped from his hand and he stood, wide-eyed. Finally he had come! But why had it taken so long? His first impulse was to run down and immediately begin questioning him.

Rishid, meanwhile, had gone to see if anyone was hurt outside. What he found was quite a shock. The Kaiba brothers were getting out of their limo, which was parked at the curb, and going to the assistance of a toppled motorcyclist. As they helped him sit up, Rishid realized with surprise that he had seen that young man before.

"Crikey!" the brunette exclaimed in a thickly-accented voice. "You almost ran me down!" He blinked up at the Kaibas, just as surprised to see them as they were to see him.

"My chauffeur is reckless," Seto agreed, his voice calm and emotionless. "I'll pay for any damages." He studied the Australian silently, trying to determine if he had been seriously injured by the fall.

"I'm really sorry, Valon," Mokuba added, his blue-gray eyes wide.

"Do I need to send for an ambulance?" Rishid asked in concern, breaking into the conversation.

"Naw," Valon replied, managing to stand. "I'm alright. No worries." He ruffled Mokuba's hair and righted his yellow motorcycle before looking back to Rishid. "Truth is, though, I kinda was comin' here for a reason. . . ." He leaned on the handlebars. In the near distance came the roar of two other motorcycle motors.

Rishid couldn't conceal his astonishment. "Oh?" They barely even knew each other, so it indeed seemed quite odd that Valon would be coming over. Rishid decided that it was likely not a mere social call. "I assume your friends are coming as well?" He then found this question to already be answered as a black and a red motorcycle each pulled up next to Valon's. Raphael and Alister then removed their helmets and looked around calmly.

Mokuba greeted them and then just stared. "This is really weird," he said. "Seto and I were coming to see you guys too!" He looked up at Rishid, who was even more surprised. All of this at once? It all seemed like such an odd coincidence.

"Well," the confused man said, gesturing to the house as he went back up the walk, "won't you all come in?"

Back inside the house, Marik and Ishizu were both requesting answers from Shadi, who stood by and watched and waited until Rishid and the five guests entered the home as well. When they did, the enigmatic Egyptian seemed pleased. "Allow the others to speak first," he said calmly, "and then you will have some of the answers you seek." He crossed his arms, obviously not intending to say more until that occurred.

Marik gawked at the sight. "Mokuba!" he exclaimed in delight and surprise. Seto and the bikers were regarded with complete astonishment. Generally Seto didn't accompany Mokuba when he came to visit. And certainly the bikers had never came over. They had only met the Ishtars when they had all been trying to stop the crime boss Del Vinci. It seemed very strange that they would turn up here now.

Mokuba grinned up at him, then reached for Seto's briefcase, which was handed to him. "Look at this, Marik!" he cried. The boy clicked the briefcase open and then removed a glowing piece of clear crystal. The Ishtars and the bikers stared. It was about two inches in diameter and flat, as a pendant would be, though there was no chain attached in order to wear it. Mokuba held it out in his hand, allowing the others to get a good look.

"We just found it today," he explained. "It was really weird. Seto found it floating over his bed." Seto grunted a confirmation.

"But where would it come from?" Marik cried, reaching out to take a closer look. If it hadn't been that the pendant was clear, he might have thought that it was Geates' Talisman. But the Talisman was always colored, generally a deep blue. Marik couldn't believe that this was it. Besides, it was back in Juno with Sapphire, the queen. It wouldn't have come here.

Mokuba shrugged helplessly. "Dunno . . . but we thought of you guys and thought we'd bring it here." He watched Marik examine it. The bikers also seemed intently interested. Shadi, Mokuba noted, was expressionless as usual.

"We have one of those things too," Valon spoke up then, causing everyone to turn and stare at him and his two friends. "Yeah," the Australian continued as Raphael pulled it out, "we found it today and thought maybe you'd be able to figure it out." He looked at Ishizu as he said this. From what he knew about the Ishtars, it seemed to him that Ishizu was the one who dealt the most with strange and ominous things such as this.

"I can assure you, we're just as baffled," Marik replied, frowning as he looked from one crystal to the other. They were identical in every way—size, color, shape, and illumination—but neither one seemed to be doing anything. It was so very unlike the pieces that made up Geates' Talisman, which would flicker and change color and almost seem to become furious if handled abruptly or by people they didn't like.

Now Shadi stepped forward. "There is no need to be concerned," he replied calmly. "There was a reason that you have been given the crystals." He reached into his robe and withdrew a third sparkling prism. "This one is for you, Marik, and your siblings. You see . . . you are all being summoned to Juno this time." He studied each person in turn for their reactions to this news.

"Holy moly!" Valon cried in disbelief. That pretty much summed up everyone's feelings on the matter.

"You will be allowed to pack some items that you require before we depart," Shadi informed them next, "but we must make haste. All of you must be delivered to Juno within one hour's time. I will return then and we will leave from here." Before anyone could even ask questions, he had vanished again.

"What was that all about?" Valon demanded. "What's Juno?" He looked at Alister and Raphael and then back at the Ishtars in disbelief.

"I'm not going into any fantasy land and neither is Mokuba!" Seto said angrily. He was tired of being dragged into strange misadventures, and even more tired of Mokuba being dragged into them. And he could see no good reason as to why they would have to go along.

Marik and his siblings were just as befuddled as everyone else, but they tried to answer Valon's query as best as they could and Ishizu—due to a short vision she then had—reassured Seto that he and Mokuba would have to come. Mokuba was delighted. Seto was appalled and disgusted.

In the end, the bewildered guests could only exchange glances before going to pack, as Shadi had instructed, and hope that they would get more answers when he came back. Seto, most certainly, wanted answers, as did the bikers. Mokuba was only able to get some things for him and Seto packed by calling Anna and telling her to pack for them and then to bring the suitcases to the Ishtars, as Seto refused to take part in the "nonsense" until he knew better what was happening.

As it turned out, their hour was up by the time they all met back in the Ishtars' living room. When Shadi arrived, he refused to answer the questions and instead opened a portal in the floor. Before anyone could protest, they had all fallen into it. And then the dimensions began to fall away.


	2. The Welcoming

**Note: Sorry it took so long to get the chapter out, but hey, good writing takes time, my dears. XD;  
**

_

* * *

_

Instead of peaceably arriving in Juno by way of a floor portal, the unfortunate eight found themselves falling out of the sky and all landing with a harsh _thump_ on what should have been soft green grass. Instead it felt crackly and sparse and dead. As they regained their bearings, a loud clap of thunder could be heard overhead and a rough wind blew at them, chilling those who were dressed inappropriately for stormy weather.

Marik was the first to look up and rise. "What . . . what happened here?" he gasped, his lavender eyes wide with alarm and disbelief. They were standing on the palace grounds, he realized now, but they were not the pristine, beautiful, well-kept grounds of the past. Everything looked devastated now, to Marik's stunned shock and alarm. _It's like my dream!_ he cried inwardly. _My nightmare. . . ._ And where was Kade? And Sapphire? The palace looked so deserted! A cold feeling took hold of his heart and squeezed it.

"Crikey, what is this place?" Valon exclaimed, staring at the desolation around them. "And how could we fix any of this?" He crossed his arms. "It's not exactly the kinda decor I was expectin'." Well, none of this was what he had been expecting, for that matter. When the day had began, he had never thought that he, Raphael, and Alister would be summoned to a strange land along with the Kaibas and the Ishtars. He had assumed that it would be a normal day, filled with arguing with Alister, Raphael breaking it up, and he himself deciding to ride his motorcycle around while his anger cooled off.

Mokuba frowned, looking up at the sky. "Well, I know none of this looks like much, but maybe that rain will help. I don't really wanna get caught in it, though." He went over to Seto, who was already standing and looking highly annoyed, and suggested that they go investigate the palace. The devastation disturbed the child greatly, especially when he thought back to his conversation with Marik and how upset the Egyptian had been over his dreams and at not being able to return to Kade. Were there even any people around here at all? Where was Kade? Where was _anyone?_

That was when a figure came running out of the palace, her long blue hair flowing behind her and the hem of the simple yet elegant white gown nearly trailing on the ground. She lifted the skirts quickly, just enough so that she wouldn't stumble, and made her way over to the group. "Hurry!" she cried, the panic obvious now in her voice. "This is not an ordinary storm. Anything the lightning touches will die!" She stopped, clenching a fist by her heart as she watched everyone getting up and reaching for their luggage. They were all here. . . . This was good. Shadi had made good on his promise to bring them all. And Marik truly was still alive, as she had seen in a vision! It seemed remarkable.

"Sapphire," Ishizu said softly, knowing that questions would have to wait until they got to the safety of the palace. The threat of death was certainly making everyone move faster than they normally might have. And Marik swallowed hard, praying that they would all make it inside. He couldn't forget when poor Rishid had been struck by lightning before, when he hadn't deserved it in the least. . . . Ishizu gently laid a hand on his shoulder before speaking once more.

"Let us not waste time," the Egyptian woman directed, clutching the crystal that Shadi had given to her just before he had vanished once again. She picked up her bag and swiftly followed her brothers. The Kaibas and the bikers immediately came as well. And as all of them made it to the shelter of the palace, the rain began to fall.  
_

* * *

_

Sapphire led them to the throne room, which still looked the same as Marik remembered. He couldn't forget the day when he had first seen that room and had discovered that an amnesiac Rishid was the king. . . . It had all been so surreal and strange. . . . And this return visit, so far, seemed surreal too . . . all the more, perhaps. Their footsteps echoed loudly across the marble walls and the chandelier overhead cast their shadows on the floor, the tiles of which still reflected scenes from around Juno—though this time the scenes were all of destruction and misery. Mokuba glanced at them briefly with curiosity and then had to swiftly look away.

Now Sapphire turned to face her guests, both sadness and relief obvious in her deep eyes. "I am so glad you have all come," she said softly. "And Kade will be so overjoyed to see his dear friend. He has missed you so greatly, Marik, though he never failed to believe that you would return." She tried to smile, but it was forced and very sad. Marik noticed that she wasn't wearing Geates' Talisman, as he had thought for certain she would be.

"How is Kade?" the boy asked softly.

"Physically well," Sapphire responded after a slight hesitation. Ever since the disasters had started to happen, her son had started insisting that Marik was about to come back. Of course, Sapphire hadn't believed him—certain that Marik was dead. But then she had experienced her vision and knew that Kade had been right.

Marik nodded slowly. "I've missed him too," he replied quietly. "Very much so. . . ."

"But what'd you need us for!" Valon interrupted impatiently. Raphael frowned at him. Valon never failed to be impulsive, it seemed.

Sapphire touched their shoulders, then went to Alister and the Kaibas. "It was because of a vision I experienced that I have called all of you to Juno," she announced. "That was when the crystals were delivered to me. I sent one to each family unit and prayed that you would each be willing to come here, even though none of you truly have a stake in the events of this land—yet." Yes, each of the three groups was a family. None of the former Doom bikers were related, but they were brothers just as much as Marik and Rishid were. Sapphire knew and understood this.

"'Yet'?" Ishizu asked, noticing the term instantly.

Sapphire nodded firmly. "I shall explain from the beginning," she said, again surveying the eight who were standing before her. They were so young. . . . The oldest was twenty-five; the youngest was ten. She had initially balked at the idea of appealing to the Kaibas for help, thinking that surely it would not be the right thing to have a child come here to this nearly razed land, but she hadn't been able to ignore the feeling of reassurance she had received upon praying about what she should do. And so she had sent a crystal to the Kaibas as well.

Now she walked to the large picture window and gazed out at the harsh rains. "Everything was calm for a short while after you and your siblings left, Marik. I sent aid to the ravaged villages and we were working together to rebuild our land and our lives. The Red Zealot was gone and Fafnir was dead, so I hoped—quite foolishly—that our problems would be over for a season. But then I found that the Talisman was increasingly beginning to act strange." Here she paused and explained, for the Kaibas' and the bikers' benefits, what the Talisman was. "It would hesitate when I gave it the command to do something, and it got to the point where it refused entirely to assist us and instead would attempt to electrocute anyone in the vicinity." The last straw had been when Kade had almost been hurt. Then Sapphire had taken the Talisman off from around her neck and placed it in her private quarters. It had remained there, untouched, for only a short while.

Marik's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What was wrong with it?" he asked. He couldn't forget how the individual pendants would spark and almost harm whoever was trying to touch them, but it seemed odd for the complete Talisman to behave in such manners. It was supposed to be more well-behaved when it was all together, the boy had thought.

Sapphire shook her head. "I don't know," she said now. "No one can make sense of the Talisman's actions." She turned back from the window to face the others. "A while ago it vanished from my room and hasn't been seen since. That was when the devastation began."

Seto listened to everything boredly, wondering if the subject would change from hocus-pocus to something logical. He wasn't pleased with being here, and even less pleased that Mokuba was here. And he hadn't heard anything so far that proved that this land had any bearing on their own dwelling. He was more than ready to go home. The longer they stayed, the greater the chance was that they would wind up in some unsavory catastrophe that could result in Mokuba being hurt. His impatience was building.

"So . . . something stole this thing?" Valon blinked. It all wasn't that hard for him or the other two bikers to comprehend—that the stone seemed to have a mind of its own. That reminded him all too well of the Orichalcos stone. Actually, when he thought about it, he wondered if the two stones could be "related" somehow. It seemed too much of a coincidence. Maybe the stones were the connection between this dimension and their own.

Raphael was having similar thoughts, and in addition, he was starting to glean what might be the truth behind the destruction in Juno. He looked back to Sapphire for her answer.

"It is possible," the young ruler replied slowly, "but I believe that it left on its own by teleportation, as unbelievable as that may sound. In any case, however, it is most assuredly the Talisman that is responsible for the destruction of this land, whether someone is wielding it or not." She looked down sadly, not understanding why this was happening to the country she struggled to protect. She didn't know what to do to save it or the people. She only knew that her vision had instructed her to bring these eight people here, so there must be a good reason for that. Perhaps with their help, Juno could still be saved.

Mokuba's eyes went wide. It all sounded so strange! He shuddered at the thought of inanimate objects acting on their own, though he could see that Seto wasn't impressed and that most of the rest didn't seem surprised. It made him feel as if he was taking part in a grand fantasy epic such as _The Lord of the Rings_.

"What is it we should do?" Alister spoke for the first time. His gray eyes betrayed none of his true emotions at the moment, but he had the distinct feeling that all of them very well could be getting in over their heads, especially young Mokuba and the impatient Valon. He wasn't sure that he appreciated being pulled from his own world out of the blue and brought here with his close friends and five others to rescue this nearly doomed land. And Sapphire still hadn't explained why they, especially, had been chosen or even what these odd crystals were supposed to do. Obviously they hadn't been necessary to bring them to Juno, as Shadi had been the one to bring them all here. Perhaps they were for protection or for summoning something (or someone) here in Juno.

Sapphire sighed. "We must find the Talisman, of course, and then we should search for Colchis as well." She clasped her hands, again wondering what had become of the man who had once served in the palace and who had been Fafnir's brother. If he got hold of the runaway Talisman, no good would come of it. He could even be the one controlling the destruction—though Sapphire feared it was the Talisman itself. It seemed to her that, in light of the jewelry's recent behavior, that was the most likely explanation.

At that moment came a happy cry and the sound of running footsteps. "Mr. Marik! Mr. Marik!" Kade tore into the throne room happily, awakened from his nap—his arms outstretched as he dove into Marik's embrace. He couldn't forget the last time he had seen the teenager. Marik had been laying so still and cold and they had said that he had perished. But Kade had refused to believe it. Marik wouldn't break a promise. And indeed he hadn't! Here he was, back again! Kade wrapped his arms around Marik's neck, beaming joyously. "I knew you'd come back," the child whispered.

Marik smiled too, holding Kade close. He was so immensely relieved that the boy was safe so far! His vision had made him greatly concerned that Kade might be suffering. But he seemed to be well, as Sapphire had said. "I was worried about you," the teenager said softly. "I never forgot about you, my friend, nor the promise I had made."

Kade looked up at him now, his expressive blue eyes shining. "You were laying so awfully still, Mr. Marik," he remembered sadly. "And . . . and you wouldn't get up." He clutched a handful of Marik's lavender hood as he shuddered, hating to recall that moment. "They . . . they all said you died. . . ." Then he hugged the older boy again. "But I knew you wouldn't not come back, when you said you would! You wouldn't break a promise."

Marik felt a tug at his heart. "No," he said softly, "of course not. Not if I could at all help it. . . ." Some promises, he knew, couldn't always be kept—through no fault of the person making the vow. At times he had felt guilty for even telling Kade that he would come back, since things had ended the way they had that first time in Juno. _I shouldn't make promises that I don't know I can keep,_ he berated himself silently. _What if I hadn't been able to survive?_ But then again, he knew that even if he had died, he would have still returned in spirit form to watch over his loved ones. Still, though, that wouldn't have been the same.

"Well," Sapphire said kindly after a moment of silence as Marik and Kade continued their reunion, "for now I will show all of you to your rooms. I certainly do not expect for any one of you to march right out and try to solve our problems. First you must rest from the journey—and fill your stomachs. We shall discuss more over the feast." She looked at each one of her new allies, pondering over each. Here was strong, noble Marik, perceptive Ishizu, loyal Rishid. . . . Sapphire had actually not been able to know Marik during the Ishtars' first visit to Juno. But later she had come to know him, through Kade's idolizing memories—and from Ishizu and Rishid before they had departed that first time. She had learned of Marik's courage and valiance and of how he had promised to reunite Kade with her somehow. He had protected Kade as best as he'd been able, even from the threat of the Red Zealot. Sapphire would forever be grateful.

And here were the newcomers as well—stoic Seto and cheerful Mokuba, then quiet Alister, curious Valon, and practical Raphael. . . . Sapphire could see their honest, stouthearted gazes and their righteous hearts. She hated the fact that she had been forced to uproot them all from their home, but she knew her vision hadn't lied. If they would be willing to help, then they were the ones who could save Juno—and hence, their own dimension as well.

Thinking of something suddenly, she spoke again. "Of course, if any of you wish to be returned home, you shall be. No one will be kept against his will." Her voice was sad as she said this. She knew these were good people, but naturally, why would they feel that they had any stake in what was going on? There was still so much to explain about the situation in Juno and how it would eventually affect their own dimension, but they knew nothing of this yet. _It must all be so very confusing and strange to them,_ Sapphire decided.

Valon shrugged. "Well, I dunno 'bout goin' home, but food sounds good." He smirked impishly. Alister and Raphael were quite acquainted with their friend's appetite. And his table manners would sometimes leave something to be desired. After all, he had been raised on the streets, and there, table manners weren't necessary. Idly they wondered what kind of show Valon might make in front of the queen at the dinner table.

Sapphire chuckled softly. "You will have plenty of time to determine what course of action you wish to take," she said, "and as for the food, it will be ready in an hour or so. It is a feast of celebration for your arrival."

Seto snorted. "I don't need time to think," he spoke up. "We have no stake in this. I don't want Mokuba involved in this war." And naturally he was justified in his concerns. Alister, also, was indignant that Mokuba had been summoned. He had seen too well what happened when children were thrown into the events of war. No matter what the reason for sending Mokuba here, neither Seto or Alister felt it had been the right thing.

Mokuba disagreed, however. "But Seto!" he cried. "I want to help. Kade has to be here all the time. Is that fair to him? There's already lots of kids here in the war. We need to help them. I know you care about the kids, Seto." He grabbed at Seto's sleeve pleadingly. "And I'd be able to help, for once. . . ." _Instead of never being able to do much or being left behind completely. . . ._

"This isn't a game, Mokuba!" Seto retorted. "This is serious. I'm certain Alister—and your friend—would both agree with me that this isn't a good place for you." He raised ice cold eyes to meet Sapphire's gaze. "What was the meaning of this, bringing us here?"

Sapphire sighed sadly. "Your concerns are just," she responded solemnly, "and I wish I could give you the answer that you deserve. But the truth is that I do not know why you and your brother were required. I only know that I saw the both of you in my vision and that when I prayed and meditated about it, I knew that it was the right thing to send for you both." She clasped her hands, facing Seto firmly with unfailing eyes. She had been expecting some of them to balk at what she was asking, and naturally Seto wouldn't want his young brother here when there were so many life-and-death situations going on. But she could only give him this honest answer. Other than that, she didn't know why they needed to be here.

Seto was not impressed with her answer. "I don't care what kind of hocus-pocus you've got here," he growled. "I don't want Mokuba in this land."

"It does seem strange," Raphael spoke in his low voice, "that you'd be told to send a child here." His blonde eyebrows narrowed darkly.

"This isn't a place for a child," Alister came in again, indignation obvious in his gray eyes. "Especially not one who doesn't even live here and who isn't familiar with what goes on from day to day." He couldn't believe this! What right did some strange woman have, to bring Mokuba here? She should only send for adults to do adults' work. A warzone was no place for Mokuba, who had never seen the horrors that could come about in wars. He deserved to be able to remain a child for as long as he could. Alister's innocence and childhood had been taken from him during the war he had seen. He didn't want to see that happen to Mokuba, and though Seto wasn't one of his favorite persons, Alister knew that the businessman wouldn't want to see it happen either.

"You are very much right," Sapphire told them quietly, "but if the problem in Juno isn't resolved and this kingdom collapses, your dimension will not be far behind. Then young Mokuba will see a war anyway, and one much more devastating."

Marik frowned, trying to take in everything they were being told. It all sounded so ominous and worrisome! He was still holding Kade, who didn't seem to understand or pay much attention to Sapphire's words. Kade had heard them all many times before, and of course, he didn't really understand. He was only four, after all. He was just overjoyed that Marik was back. "Why exactly is it that our world would also be affected?" the Egyptian boy asked quietly.

Sapphire shook her head. "Even I am not entirely certain," she said, "but I have seen it in vision, and it is a legend handed down from generations long past that this dimension is sister to another one, one that is most likely yours. Their fates are undeniably entwined, and if one falls, the other will begin to crumble as well. Our worlds support each other, even though many of the inhabitants—especially from yours—do not even believe that other planes exist."

Valon frowned, crossing his arms. "So you're sayin' that if your world goes byebye, it could start Armageddon or whatever it's called?" _That sure sounds pleasant. Looks like we probably have no choice but to hang around._

"That is highly possible," Sapphire replied, looking into his blue eyes with her own.

"Crikey," the Australian muttered. Then, raising his voice again, he stated, "I don't get why you think the eight of us could do any good. Don't you have any kind of armies here or somethin'?"

"Nope," Kade said now, looking over at him. "They all kinda went away." He shrugged, not sure of why that was, and hugged Marik around the neck. Whatever the reason was, it was grownup stuff. It wasn't for him to worry about.

Sapphire sighed, glancing out the window again. "The armies left some time ago," she stated. "They all defected to the enemy." That had taken place during the first time the Ishtars had been there. The only army Sapphire had been able to recruit since then were the fallen Adelpha's rebels—but they had mysteriously disappeared. The eerie events in Juno were many, much to Sapphire's displeasure and sadness. She didn't think Adelpha's rebels would have also become traitors, but in this land it was hard to know who could be trusted.

"Oh, well, that's just lovely," Valon groaned.

"What enemy was this?" Raphael asked suddenly. He had been carefully pondering over what they were being told, and it seemed to him as though Sapphire had not named a specific enemy of the kingdom, save this Colchis person.

Sapphire sighed. "It is something that happened when Rishid was the king," she replied quietly, turning to lead everyone down a long corridor as she continued to speak. Carefully she explained more of what had gone on then, concluding with, "The soldiers that could be taken prisoner were tried for their crimes. However, most of them were either killed in the final conflict or else managed to escape." Then she told about the rebel army and how they subsequently vanished.

Ishizu, who had been mostly silent throughout all of this—allowing the newcomers to ask questions—now spoke. "I promise you, we will do whatever is in our power to save Juno," she said firmly, her cerulean eyes displaying her determination. She had come to love the land when she had been here before, though there had been little time to enjoy its beauties during the disasters that had been going on. But she greatly admired Sapphire and her courage.

Sapphire tried to smile, but it was still sad. "Thank you," she said softly. She knew that even if the others wished to go, the Ishtars would stay. However, she prayed that the Kaibas and the bikers would agree to remain as well, though she was again having doubts about whether it had been the right thing to send for Seto and Mokuba.

_

* * *

_

In the end, each one of the three groups was shown to a large room in the east wing. Seto, of course, was not satisfied with the answers he'd been given as to why he and Mokuba were there and was not willing at all to remain. Mokuba sighed, not surprised, and went to look out their window at the sparse and crackling land. He knew that it wasn't likely that Seto would ever approve of them being here, but the child didn't see how they could possibly go. If it was important for them to stay, then how could they not?

He gazed up at the sky as the rain continued to fall. _Not even the sky looks peaceful,_ he observed, noticing how it seemed to grow darker each passing minute. _And I know my brother isn't. But then . . . I guess he's right about it being dangerous. . . . Alister was pretty upset too. I guess it's understandable. But I want to help! I've been worrying about what Marik would do when he came back here . . . and if he'd ever come home when he did. . . ._ He bit his lip worriedly. _But I don't want anything to happen to Seto, either! What if Seto gets hurt because we're here?_ Guilt filled Mokuba's heart. It was so hard, to know what the right thing to do was!

And then he had to consider what Sapphire had said. If Juno fell, then the world that Mokuba and the others lived in would start collapsing as well, most likely as Juno's enemies tried to conquer the other dimensions. Therefore, Mokuba knew, they really didn't have much choice. They had to remain here and try to correct the problems. It was also true, he realized, that if they didn't, he would wind up seeing a war anyway—perhaps one that was much worse. But Seto didn't see things that way. Mokuba was sure that his brother probably didn't believe anything Sapphire had said. And he sighed sadly to himself.

_

* * *

_

"So . . . what do you fellas think about this?"

Valon stretched out on his bed, placing his arms behind his head and gazing up at the ceiling. The room was quite nice, filled with rich furniture and the softest mattresses and comforters in the land. _Or anywhere else,_ Valon thought to himself dryly as he started to relax into the feathery bed. _I could get used to this._

"I don't like it," Alister said flatly, crossing his arms. They had been plunged right in the middle of a civil war, and Mokuba was along for whatever would happen. There was no reason for that. If Sapphire had to send for a small group of people, she wouldn't have had to have included a child amongst them. That could never result in something good. _Children don't belong in situations like this. Though . . . no one really does._

He glared out the window coldly, remembering how he had told Seto that he wanted to recreate a world without wars. That would never happen in his lifetime, he was certain. Human beings would always find something to fight about. _And I was going about everything in the wrong way. . . . I became just as bad as the man I loathed!_ He gripped his arms tightly, feeling a burst of self-hatred rising up again. _I hated. . . . I hated the Kaiba empire with a passion. . . . But why didn't I realize that I would hurt Mokuba if I managed to take Kaiba's soul with the Orichalcos?_ He looked out the window darkly. He knew there was only one explanation for that—he hadn't been himself. He hadn't been thinking clearly and he had let his rage consume him. He shut his gray eyes tightly in disgust. Oh, he hated himself at these times.

Raphael glanced over at him, seeing that he was going into another of his Moods, and then sighed sadly to himself. Alister was the one out of the three who dwelled the most on his past and who was often depressed. He had been that way since they had all met at Doom, though of course he had been so much more depressed and angry then. Now he just seemed weary much of the time—weary of the world, weary of war, and weary of himself. But he couldn't escape from himself.

"Raph? Hey, I'm talkin' to you!"

The blonde man started, only now realizing that Valon had been trying to get his attention for the last while. "What is it?" he asked, looking curiously at the brunette Australian.

"I was askin' what you thought about it," Valon replied, sitting up and crossing his arms. "It's all kinda weird, don't you think? I mean . . . why would she send for us, of all people!" His voice grew softer. "Look at us. . . . We've been misguided a lot and we've all just been struggling to survive the best way we each knew how. We're not really warriors . . . or heroes, or whatever you wanna call it." He snorted. "Heck, I'm the farthest thing from it, probably."

Raphael smiled slightly, coming over closer to him. "Don't put yourself down so much," he said. Valon was rough around the edges, but he was a good, honest person and he cared immensely about his friends. Raphael could see more nobility in him than Valon could see in himself.

"As for what I think. . . ." Here the blue-eyed man paused thoughtfully, narrowing his eyes. It was a delicate question—and a delicate situation—and his feelings were quite mixed. "I don't appreciate being taken abruptly from our home without much warning, as I'm certain you and Alister don't, either. And I don't appreciate being thrown into a civil war in which we have no immediate stake. But the irony of it all, Valon, is that it seems that our world—our treacherous, cruel world—will be in danger of destruction if Juno isn't protected. And the three of us were sent to help save it—we who tried to rebuild the world in the past . . . but who would have only destroyed it then."

Valon frowned darkly, pondering on this. Raphael was the most philosophical of the three of them, and the one who thought things out the most. He had been most devoted to Dartz's cause, believing strongly that it was the right thing. Valon and Alister had possessed their own separate goals, though in the end they had both believed Dartz to an extent. It _was_ ironic, Valon realized, that they had been brought here now—and the Australian wondered if, in some way, this was considered a way for them to make up for their misguided actions in the past. "Yeah," he spoke aloud then, "it is kinda weird, now that you mention it. . . ."

Alister was only partially listening to them. He was looking out the window now, noticing a group of people trooping through the rain and not seeming to mind. They were rough characters in appearance, with torn and tattered clothes and bearing various weapons of war. The redhead recognized a mace and several spiked clubs. And he frowned darkly. Somehow, he had the feeling that these people did not have good intentions. He watched them until they disappeared over a nearby hill.


	3. The Stranger

**Notes: You may notice that the opening scene has been changed in places, casting an entirely different light on the character involved. The idea of having him be schizophrenic no longer appeals to me, for many reasons, and the story was stalled largely because of this. Thanks to brainstorming with Stacey, I have determined how to alter things. I apologize for the heavy delay with the story and I hope that it will pick up again now that I have changed this element.**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Three**

The tall, ageless man hovered in the shadows of his chamber, studying the three small family units as their current actions were reflected in the large crystal shards assembled neatly in a row in the stone floor. He could care less about the Kaibas and the Ishtars, but his expression became intensely interested upon seeing the three former Doom warriors in the crystal on the right. This was something that he had not expected in the least. He came closer for a better look.

"Raphael. . . . Alister. . . Valon. . . . You are all well, I see," he mused. "None of you seem to be suffering any ill effects of your pasts." But he knew that, indeed, they still did suffer—and that a part of each of them probably always would. Their families had been taken away from them and they had been used as pawns in a cruel game of failed rebirth and redemption. Raphael, especially, had been crushed and shattered by Dartz's betrayal. And somewhere deep in his heart, he still carried the pain and hurt from that time.

The enigmatic stranger sighed, shaking his head, and leaned back, continuing to watch the trio thoughtfully. The fact of them being there did not disrupt his plans, though it did indeed make things somewhat awkward. If he were to be discovered by them, then that could turn things upsidedown. Of course, the Kaibas would most likely recognize him as well, if they saw him, but with the way things usually went it seemed more conceivable that he would eventually have a meeting with the bikers and not the Kaibas. And anyway, the Kaibas did not have as much of a reason to hate him as the bikers did.

He did not blame them. Why should they not hate him, after what he had done? He had destroyed their lives. Even though he had not been in his right mind, that did not change the fact that their families were dead because of him. In his corrupted state of mind, he had believed that their fates were already set in stone and that he was merely helping them to fulfill their destinies.

He turned away. _I've caused so much heartache and pain, not just for them, but for my own family as well. And Phiona is still lost to me . . . to us. . . . Even though we have all been given second chances at life, we haven't seen any sign of Phiona. Perhaps . . . she wasn't returned to Earth, as we were. But . . . why wouldn't she have been? If a second chance would even be offered to one such as I, then certainly Phiona deserves the opportunity as well. She was so pure and good. . . ._

_Maybe . . . she didn't want to come back. . . . In the afterlife, she must have been happier than in a mortal realm. . . . Or maybe she did come back, but she doesn't want to be with us any longer._ He swallowed hard. _Maybe she doesn't want to be with me . . . after what I've done._

"Bah!" he muttered low and abruptly, standing up and walking away from the crystals. He was allowing himself to get too caught up in his thoughts, as had often been the case recently. He crossed to the large window overlooking Juno and gazed out, watching the rain as it began to slow to a stop. It was such a great pity, really, that Juno had been reduced to this. It had once been a great land—a paradise. But maybe . . . no paradise ever remained forever. And the Talisman had destroyed this one! Sapphire had believed that it would help her, but it had turned against her in the end.

_The Talisman is not really unlike the Orichalcos. It could even be fueled by the same evil force that powered the Orichalcos. I don't know. But I do know that if it isn't stopped, it will be instrumental in the fall of Juno. And then the rest of the world will fall as well. Of course . . . many of the inhabitants most likely deserve destruction. But . . . I will not allow a repeat of my mistakes. I won't stand by and allow the dimensions to obliterate each other, especially not now that I have my family back._

He turned away from the window. It was time that he went and found what the rebels were up to. Colchis had been training them for a grand battle that he had been preparing, and this man had offered his assistance as well. What Colchis did not know what that this man was a spy, infiltrating into the group to learn of their plans. Sapphire had met him once or twice, in passing, but she did not know who he was or if he was an ally or an enemy. But that was just as well. He would prefer to work in the shadows. The fewer who knew his true motives, the better.

Now he came back to the crystals, studying the images within them again. It fascinated him as he watched the eight young people leaving their rooms to go to the banquet hall for dinner. Sapphire was such a strange ruler and it was in keeping with her oddness that she had chosen the eight that she had. Why look! There was even a young child with them! Though, to this man, who had lived for millennia, they were really all children.

He gazed at the bikers once more. Raphael gazed ahead, his blue eyes dark and penetrating. His gaze seemed to pierce the very soul, just as it had always been. Alister's gray orbs were clouded and displayed little of what he was thinking underneath his flipped red hair. But he must be thinking plenty. He always was. And there was Valon, tagging along and trying to keep up while at the same time looking about the palace corridors with a certain captivation. His wide blue eyes, filled with childlike curiosity and awe at the castle's interior, placed him firmly as the youngest of the three, though he was no less important or reliable. At one point he blinked and stared so intently at something that it seemed that his vision had broken through the barriers and that he was now gazing at the man who was taking such an interest in watching them all. But of course he could not see the unknown spy. For now, at least, he would remain quite unknown.

He sighed. They would most likely end up in some sort of trouble, now that they were here. He just hoped that he would not have to worry about getting them out of it. There were too many other things that he had on his mind. He would really be perfectly content if he did not have to personally encounter them at all. And he was certain that they would prefer that as well.

The sound of the door opening caused him to turn. He smiled when he saw his young daughter standing there. Greeting her by name, he asked, "What is it?"

She bit her lip. "It's Colchis," she reported quietly. "He's outside." She knew what her father was doing, and she was concerned, knowing that it was risky. But she was happy that he was trying to help correct this problem before it went out of hand. Now he was once again the father that she remembered from before his mind had been corrupted.

"I see," he said quietly. "Well. I'll go out to meet him then." He laid a hand gently on her head as he passed by. She watched him go, praying that Colchis would never learn the true reason as to why her father was helping him.

* * *

Sapphire's palace was fashioned with many fascinating niches and secret passages, as the Ishtars were all well aware. None of them could forget their escape from the crazed army that had led them deep into the secret chambers of a seldom-traveled tunnel. If it hadn't been for Paul leading them safely out, they might have been captured for certain. 

Marik sighed as he rolled onto his stomach in the spacious suite he and his siblings were occupying. He had been spending a happy time with Kade as the child had led him throughout the palace and showed him all his favorite places to go, but now Kade was down for a nap and Marik was back to his worried thoughts of what to do for the failing kingdom.

"So many people perished here before," he murmured quietly, hugging the down pillow and looking over at Rishid, who was sitting at a desk, and Ishizu, who was looking out the window. "Paul . . . Adelpha . . . Kade's father . . . and so many nameless persons. . . . They all died trying to stop Fafnir and Colchis and the _Red Zealot_." He spit the last words out as if they tasted bad. He had been so horrified and disgusted when he had discovered that his Yami was the assassin terrorizing the kingdom! Thank goodness he was gone now . . . at least, Marik _hoped_ he was gone. He hoped it with all of his heart.

"Yes," Ishizu replied, a hint of sadness in her gentle, melodic voice. "And most likely there will be other casualties this time. . . ." She couldn't ignore the uneasy feeling that something horrible was bound to happen before their first night here was even ended. Subconsciously she clenched her fist. What if her brothers were destined for horrors again? She couldn't bear the thought, but she knew it was likely. Even Mokuba wasn't really safe here. In spite of Sapphire's vision—and her own—she couldn't see the logic of sending for a child. How could Mokuba really do much to help in a world where even adults had trouble staying alive?

"But we will stay strong to each other," Rishid put in, "throughout whatever happens." And he would continue to protect his precious brother and sister. Harm would not come to them if he could help it. And he intended to make certain that he could, indeed, help it. Being back here in Juno only made the memories of seeing Marik laying so lifeless all the more pronounced and horrible. He remembered it all in frightening detail—the blood running from the deep wound in Marik's back, the boy's cold, pale flesh, his vacant lavender eyes as he had told Rishid of the light he had seen. . . . And involuntarily he gave a shudder. He wasn't pleased to be back in Juno, though he was glad for Marik's sake that he had been able to come and find Kade again. And if they were all needed, then Rishid was glad that they were here. Indeed, they truly had to save Juno if they wanted to save their own world, it seemed. And there were many good people in Juno that Rishid didn't want to see die. He determined to do his best to see to it that there were no more needless deaths at all.

"Of course we will," Marik vowed, still clutching the pillow. "And somehow, we have to triumph! So many lives depend on it . . . including Kade's. . . ."

At that moment the doorknob turned and the child in question bounded in cheerfully. "Dinner's all ready, Mr. Marik!" he chirped. "You and your brother and sister can come eat now!" He beamed, showing his white teeth. All of the Ishtars had to smile back gently at this sight. He was such an innocent, loving, trusting child. And he reminded Ishizu and Rishid so much of Marik when he had been that age.

Marik set the pillow down and climbed off the bed. "Alright then," he smiled, "shall we go? I _am_ feeling hungry after our journey here." He ruffled Kade's curls and the child giggled happily, hurrying to the door and then turning to wait for Marik and the others. When they came, the siblings were led down the hall to the banquet room, the wonderful aromas making them realize just how hungry they were. None of them had any idea of what a nearby madman was plotting.

* * *

Sapphire smiled weakly as she watched her son and all of their guests eating the hearty banquet that had been prepared in honor of their arrival. Valon, especially, seemed to be enjoying himself, judging from the way he was greedily chomping on the edibles. Both Alister and Raphael were shaking their heads and giving him stern looks as they ate in a much quieter manner, but Valon paid them no heed. Sapphire just hoped the streetwise teenager wouldn't wind up choking. 

"You said you would explain more over dinner." Seto's cold voice cut through the air like a knife. He wanted to get down to business and hear some logical explanations and instructions. He had spent the afternoon pondering in the room he and Mokuba had been given, just wanting out of the entire situation—or at least, for Mokuba to be allowed to go home. But he knew that Mokuba wouldn't go back without him. And as much as he hated to admit it, if Sapphire was right about their dimensions' futures being intertwined, then it was probably quite necessary to fix the problems that were going on. He couldn't deny that Mokuba had been right—Seto did care about the children and didn't want them to be suffering. But more than anything else, he didn't want Mokuba to suffer.

Sapphire sighed, setting her fork down on her plate. "Yes," she agreed, "I remember. And I intend to, though I am afraid there is little I can give in the way of explanations for where the Talisman might be or what Colchis is planning." Her blue eyes took on a deep, faroff gaze. "Suffice to say," she said finally, choosing her words carefully, "that this has become a cursed land, Seto Kaiba. And there are many who do not accept my rule as queen. This is partially because of how I was forced to go into hiding with Kade for so long after Fafnir murdered my husband—Kade's father. Some of the people feel that it was wrong of me to abandon my subjects as I did." And she didn't blame them for being upset by it. Sometimes she had wondered if she had made the right decision. Perhaps Kade would have been safer in the end if Sapphire had remained at the palace and had tried to correct what had happened. But Fafnir's power had been so great that she had been afraid for her son's life. It was understandable that she had fled.

"And what is the other part?" Raphael spoke up when there was a lengthy hesitation in Sapphire's explanation. He watched as she blinked, startled, coming out of her reverie and fully realizing where she was once more.

The woman sighed. "The other part," she admitted, "is that a good portion of the kingdom revered Fafnir and can't believe that he was the wicked man we know him to have been. This faction was furious when they found out that Fafnir had been killed in battle. They believe it to have been a secret, devilish plot devised by me and some of my loyal followers in order to reclaim control of Juno for myself." She glanced at Kade, seeing how he seemed to be involved in eating his dinner and describing to Marik what each kind of food was like. He didn't seem bothered by the discussion topic. Sapphire hoped that it was really true and that he wasn't just trying to put on a brave front. But usually he ignored "grownup" discussions, finding them either too boring or too depressing. Sapphire hoped that he had ignored this one and had not heard her mentioning his father's death. It had been an event that had affected the child deeply and had caused him to cling desperately to Marik when they found each other, considering the teen to be a surrogate father.

"It sounds," Seto remarked, "as though you govern an irritating and uncontrollable bunch of people." It was all familiar to him, as CEO of KaibaCorp—the slanderous rumors, the believing people, everyone united for one purpose—that of bringing Seto Kaiba down. But he had always withstood it all and had refused to allow their attempts to work. He wouldn't be as successful as he was if he had ever given in to the pressure he was faced with constantly.

Sapphire sighed, then gently smiled as Kade innocently asked for someone to please pass the potatoes. Alister, who was nearest to the bowl, passed it along to the child, who beamed and said thank you in such a sweet voice. Kade was such a refreshing respite from the queenly duties she bore. He brought such a joy into her life. If anything happened to him, she didn't know how she would ever bear it.

"They are confused," she said now in answer to Seto's statement. "So much has gone on in this land, where they have lived and loved and hated for all of their lives. There have been many deceitful rulers and much betrayal. It is only natural that they would not accept me after what I have done—and what they believe I may have done." In truth, she wasn't certain that she would be the ruler much longer. There were not many of the palace servants and guards whom she fully trusted. Every morning when she awoke and found that she was still alive, she was both surprised and thankful. She feared that one day there would be an assassination attempt that would not fail—and Kade would be left alone. She couldn't let that happen. But she would not speak of these things while Kade was present. Even when she thought he wasn't listening to the conversations, she usually found later that he had been listening better than she had thought, especially if talk of her safety had been involved.

Valon dipped a river of gravy over his potatoes. "So," he spoke up, "what about those crystal things we were given?" he wanted to know. "What are they even supposed to do?" He blinked across the long table at Sapphire, his blue eyes full of curiosity and confusion. To be honest, he was slightly leery of the gem that was in their possession. After the Orichalcos stone, he didn't know that he wanted anything more to do with any kind of jewel reported to contain magical powers. Perhaps he generally seemed to be the most carefree of the trio, but in actuality he could be serious as well. Behind the constant laughs and smiles he hid quite a bit of the pain he had suffered throughout his short life.

Sapphire ran a hand over her brow as if she was feeling ill. Truth be told, she found that another of the headaches that had been plaguing her of late was coming on. She had never understood why she had been getting them, but she had noticed that they had begun shortly after the Talisman had started behaving erratically. She had to wonder if there was a connection.

"I wish I could be of more help when it comes to the crystals," she announced quietly, "but I know little more than any of you. The crystals were delivered to me when I awoke from my vision and I knew that I had been told to send them to you, but I was not told what powers they held or how they would be of help." She knew Seto Kaiba, especially, was going to be disgusted with this information. And she supposed she didn't really blame him. He was worried about his brother's safety since they had been thrust into this strange kingdom and wouldn't take kindly to the fact that Sapphire didn't know what the crystals were for.

Indeed, Seto's lip curled in disgust. "Is there anything you _do_ know about how we're supposed to protect our worlds?" he growled. "You mentioned someone named Colchis and indicated that he is probably behind the devastation. Do you have any idea where he might be operating from?" The sooner they could find the one responsible, the better. Then they could stop him and return home.

Sapphire shook her head. "The only place I knew to check was his brother Fafnir's home, but he was not there. Colchis _had_ worked and lived here in the palace, until the events leading up his brother's death forced him to flee." And of late, without any semblance of an army, she couldn't possibly have even looked for him anywhere else. Of course, the eight people she had now were hardly an army, but they would have to do. She was confident that they could—and would—save Juno. They had to. They were her last hope.

Seto frowned darkly. It seemed to him as if they had been sent to complete a mission that was next to impossible. They didn't even have anything to go on! Finding one man and a malfunctioning Talisman in this kingdom would not be easy. And from the way it seemed, they would have plenty of opposition. The only thing holding him back from ordering Sapphire to return him and Mokuba at once was the thought that their dimension could wind up in a catastrophe of its own if Juno fell. He wasn't certain that he really believed they had crossed over into another dimension, but he did know that if one country fell in the world he knew, it could affect other countries as well. For now, he would consider Juno as an undiscovered country and not an alternate dimension. That helped him deal with things better.

"I saw a suspicious-looking group of people from my window," Alister spoke up now, looking to Sapphire for an explanation. "They were carrying weapons and seemed to have a definite destination in mind. I would assume that they are part of the rebel movement?" _Or maybe something else. Mercenaries, perhaps?_

Sapphire was troubled at Alister's news. "The rebels try not to be seen openly carrying weapons," she said slowly, "and especially not that close to the palace. The only reason they ever would is if they were about to stage an attack." Immediately she demanded to know what direction they seemed to be headed in and Alister informed her that they were going away from the palace. If they had actually stayed near the palace, he would have told her sooner, he said.

Marik frowned, listening to their conversation. "If they weren't among the rebels who want to overthrow you, then who could they have been?" he wanted to know, watching Sapphire carefully for her reaction. He realized that she might not want to talk about this further in front of Kade, and he would definitely understand if she didn't. The child shouldn't have to be continually exposed to so much at his young age!

"Juno has become overrun with madness and outlaws," Sapphire replied after a pause. But Kade already knew this well. Sapphire never let him roam outside the palace any more for fear of what he might run into. There were so many enemies afoot! "I believe that many criminals attempting to escape justice have come here to hide. And with such criminals come other entities that generally would not be welcome—mercenaries, bounty hunters, fighters-for-hire. . . ." She put a hand to her forehead again. The headache was becoming more intense. And each time the troublesome ailment came upon her, it stayed longer than the last. Sapphire didn't know what she was going to do. Not even her physicians could determine the cause of the headaches. She personally wondered if it had any connection with the problems in Juno and the Talisman's disappearance.

"Are you okay, Mommy?" Kade asked now, watching her with worried blue eyes. He knew of her headaches, though she tried not to let him see the severity of the pain she would go through when she had them. But Kade was more attentive than Sapphire realized. He knew she suffered and he was worried for her. She hadn't had a spell for a few days now and they had both hoped that perhaps there would be no more. But now it was happening again. Kade determined to ask Marik if he knew of anything that could be done. After all, the child thought innocently to himself, Marik was wise. Surely he would know what to do!

Sapphire looked up and tried to smile weakly. "Yes, darling," she managed to say, slowly getting up from the table. The pain was worsening and she wanted to retreat to her quarters quickly before it intensified to the point where she would begin having double vision and vertigo. That had happened the last two times she had experienced this and she was certain it would happen again now. "But . . . I am afraid you must excuse me now," she said, looking at her guests now. "It's . . . it's been a long week and I am growing weary." Her hand shook as she gripped the back of the chair for balance.

Instantly Ishizu rose and went to her, seeing her distress and agony. "Please," she implored softly, "allow me to come with you." She looked into Sapphire's blue eyes with her own. It was obvious, at least to her, that there was more to the ruler's sudden illness than she was letting on. If they got away from the others—and especially Kade—perhaps Ishizu would be able to help Sapphire and determine what was wrong.

Sapphire looked at her with immense gratitude. "Thank you," she said gratefully, her voice shaking. Ishizu carefully began helping her toward the door.

Kade leaped up now and ran over to them, his innocent eyes shining with worried tears. "Mommy, it's happening again, isn't it?" he wailed. "It's those awful, mean headaches!" He gripped a handful of Sapphire's gown with his small hands. Marik got up as well, to go over and comfort him. The others looked on, concern and confusion written in their eyes and their expressions.

Sapphire smiled again, but it was weak and her desire was increasingly to go lay down. "It's not bad, Kade," she reassured him. "I just need to rest for a while. You can show Marik around some more in the meantime. I'm sure you haven't shown him all of the palace yet." She chuckled softly, now slightly leaning on the wall.

Kade bit his lip. "No," he admitted, "I haven't, but Mommy. . . ." He started when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Marik smiled down at him. "Let's let your mother rest now, alright?" he said. "I'm sure that after a good rest she'll feel refreshed and the pain will be gone." At least he hoped so. He knew that neither he or anyone else there was aware of the reason for Sapphire's illness. He hoped that Ishizu would be able to find something out.

The child sniffled. "Okay," he mumbled, letting go of Sapphire's dress and letting her and Ishizu continue out the door. When they were gone, he immediately embraced Marik for comfort and told him of what he knew when Marik prodded him gently for information. The Egyptian teenager—and the others—all listened grimly, none certain of what the reason might be unless it was the immense stress the poor woman was going through. And that was quite likely. They hoped that it was only that and not something more serious.

* * *

Sapphire didn't return for the rest of the evening. Her guests soon retired to their rooms, save for Marik, who stayed with Kade and traveled with him to several more of the child's favorite locations in the palace, and Ishizu, who talked with Sapphire long into the hours as the woman tried to sleep but continually would wake up again. Rishid busied himself with a book he had found in the suite he shared with his siblings, on the history of Juno. He remembered some of the kingdom's past from their previous visit and his brief tenure as king, but it wouldn't hurt to brush up on some of the various events that had helped make Juno what it once had been. Perhaps he would even find a clue that would help them. 

Seto, bored and frustrated still, finally decided to simply go to bed. There wasn't much that could be accomplished at night, he figured. He didn't want to explore a strange land when it got late. There was no telling what he might run into. Early in the morning he would go exploring, probably with the others in tow. But he wished Mokuba, at least, would stay back at the palace. At the moment, he knew, the child had gone exploring the palace on his own. Seto wasn't too worried, as long as Mokuba didn't venture outside. And he was certain that wouldn't happen.

Alister and Raphael, meanwhile, were discussing what should be done and what might go wrong on their escapade. Raphael, who was pessimistic anyway, was finding so many new ways that disasters could happen in this odd world. And Alister, who had already experienced a war, was quick to supply other possibilities as he thought of them. Naturally the conversation became quite macabre and Valon found himself wanting a break from it all.

Quietly he slipped out of the room and wandered down the marble corridor, still awed by the splendor and majesty of the building. It wasn't like the Orichalcos temple where he and the other two had once lived. That location had been dark and mysterious, with the torches casting strange shadows on the walls and floor. This palace, in contrast, was bright and cheerful, though a certain sadness swept down the halls and was obvious in any room Valon was in.

He shuddered, remembering Sapphire's sad eyes. How much had the kingdom suffered before she had sent for Valon and the others? And how much more would it still suffer? . . . How much would _they_ suffer? He doubted that they would all come out of this unscathed. That would be naive and childish thinking. There was practically a war brewing in this land! And Valon was certain that it would, indeed, break loose. Sooner or later they would all be caught up in it.

_Heh. . . . Never once thought, when I was just an orphaned anklebiter in Sydney, that I would wind up joining an organization like Doom, meeting the two best friends I could ever have, and later on end up being sent to a messed up alternate dimension and being one of the only people who can save it. It's kinda crazy._

As he continued around the corner, he heard a horrible crash followed by an alarmed scream. Instantly alert, he immediately began to run, hoping to find the source of the calamity. _It looks like things aren't wasting any time happening!_

The first person he met was Ishizu, emerging from Sapphire's room. Her normally calm blue eyes were now filled with a worry that Valon hadn't seen from her before. "Do you know where my brothers are?" was her greeting.

Valon frowned. "Naw," he replied, "I haven't seen them. Why? What's wrong? Do you know what that crash was?"

Ishizu nodded grimly. "I had a vision," she informed him. "Somewhere in the palace, a fire has been started!"

Valon stared at her in disbelief. "Well, let's find out where, then!" he cried, running off down the hall again. He couldn't know that he was being observed, and not by Ishizu nor anyone else in the palace. Nor could he have known the events that would happen in the next twenty-four hours and where he would be before the next evening.


	4. The Vigilante

**Chapter Four**

As Valon ran down the marble corridor, rounding a corner, the unmistakable smell of smoke began to become obvious. The Australian coughed, covering his nose and mouth, and plunged forward. Before long he ran right into Mokuba coming from the opposite direction. Both of them went sprawling onto the hard floor.

Valon gave a cry of shock. "Hey!" he exclaimed when he saw who he had crashed into. "What's going on? You should've watched where you were going, kid." He started to get up slowly, suddenly wondering if anyone had been hurt when the fire had been started. There _was_ the matter of that scream he had heard. . . . Suddenly he was disturbed and worried. How had someone broken into the palace anyway? Or . . . what if they had not? What if this was an inside job? He supposed it could have been accidental, but Ishizu had spoken as if it had been deliberately done.

Mokuba looked at him, his blue-gray eyes watering from the smoke. "I've gotta see if Seto's alright!" he replied, getting up himself. His heart was pounding. He had seen how the fire had been started, but it perplexed and frightened him. Without warning a torch had just suddenly come loose from its fixture and had fallen to the floor, as if lifted and thrown—only no one visible had been there. And when Mokuba had tried to run forward to pick it up, he had been thrown back by an invisible barrier. He was afraid that perhaps some unseen intruder was roaming the palace and might hurt everyone within.

"Aw, I'm sure he can take care of himself," Valon said. "But do you know anything about the fire? That could cause trouble for all of us."

Shakily Mokuba explained what he knew. "It's back that way," he said then, pointing to the way he had come, "but I don't know how to put it out! I was hoping maybe Sapphire would know some kinda spell that could break the barrier or something." He swallowed hard. The smoke was thickening. "If there's a barrier there, it probably wouldn't do any good to get some water and try to put it out with that," he continued, resuming running down the hall, with Valon following. "It'd probably just hit whatever was blocking me from going over!"

"Well, maybe not," Valon called to him, "but it couldn't hurt to try. Are there fire extinguishers around here!" Mokuba did not answer or stop, instead continuing to run and hoping to find Sapphire's room. Valon sighed, shaking his head, and turned around to go to where the torch had fallen and try his luck with it.

As he did so, he met up with Marik and Kade, who were just emerging from a panel in the wall. All were startled to abruptly run into each other, but Valon quickly got over that and explained what was going on. Marik listened grimly while Kade looked worried.

"Mommy would know how to stop it," the child chirped, "but she's not feeling well right now. . . ." He tugged on Marik's hand. "We have to do something, Mister Marik! Everything could burn up!"

Marik swallowed hard, knowing that was true. "We will try something," he reassured the young boy, drawing the Millennium Rod from his belt. "Let's try this and see if it can break the barrier. Kade, take Valon to where there's water and then come back here." With that he ran down the hall, heading right for the source of the smoke. He did not understand how the torch had fallen, but he had a very bad feeling about it all.

And when he actually did manage to penetrate the barrier and Valon managed to put out the flames before they advanced beyond the part of the floor and the wall in the immediate area, Marik's bad feeling only worsened. It could be passed off as an accident, he supposed, but that was not likely. He felt that it was a test . . . or a warning. Perhaps it was meant to be taken as a signal that someone with strong powers was watching them all. But if so, who . . . and why?

* * *

Sapphire was highly concerned about the incident when she was informed. She, too, felt that it had definitely not been an accident. And upon inspecting the fixture from where the torch had fallen, it was obvious that it was still in top condition. It had not suddenly weakened and broken, causing the beacon to collapse. Indeed, it looked as though Mokuba had been right about someone merely lifting it up and then purposely sending it to the floor. But if someone could actually be invisible to do that, then what else were they capable of doing? 

Sapphire also wondered if the culprit had even actually been in the palace when the crime was committed. If immense power was to be had, perhaps they had manipulated things from a distance. But there was actually a much worse possibility than that—the Talisman could have done it. It had behaved so oddly before its disappearance that Sapphire feared that it was behind Juno's destruction in some way. She sent her guards to scout the palace grounds, and her guests volunteered to investigate inside for anything suspicious, but nothing was found—as the ruler had predicted. And since nothing could really be accomplished in the nighttime, everyone at last opted to simply go to sleep and deal with things in the morning.

* * *

Marik remembered the sunrises of Juno. The sky would erupt in a burst of colors—varying shades of orange, pink, red, lavender, and purple—as the sun rose into the Eastern sky. But though that was the way it had been in the past, it was that way no more. Now it seemed that the sky remained a grayish black even in the daytime. Marik came to this conclusion the next morning as he stirred, stretched, and awoke to a still-darkened room. He blinked confused lavender eyes, wondering if it was still storming, but as he rose and went to the window, he saw it was not. Everything looked calm and still, the sky appearing cloudless, yet darkened. The Egyptian boy frowned. 

"I sense a disturbance," the soft voice came from behind him. He turned, meeting Ishizu as she came out of the room that was a part of the large suite the three of them had been given. His older sister looked calm, though he recognized the worry in her eyes. She touched the Tauk around her neck as she came closer.

"Does it have anything to do with the sky out there?" Marik wanted to know.

Ishizu sighed. "I cannot find the explanation for that," she replied. "It seems that the sun cannot be seen from Juno any longer, though we know it still exists and is in the sky, since Juno is a parallel universe to our own and is somewhere on Earth." She came to the glass and looked out at the palace grounds and the surrounding area. "Everything has changed so much since our first visit. . . ." And of course, if the sun did not return soon, the conditions in the land would only grow worse. The waters would dry up and the plants would wilt and die. Most of the plants were already dead, she knew.

Marik clenched a fist in frustration. "That's an understatement," he remarked bitterly. "I don't like this new Juno. And I don't like the troubles it could cause." He paused, mulling things over in his mind. "Actually, it already is causing troubles," he knew. "Did you figure out what was causing Sapphire's headaches, Sister?"

Ishizu shook her head. "Both of us are confused. All that she can determine is that it has something to do with the devastation of this land . . . and possibly the Talisman, as she was its wearer before it started misbehaving." Suddenly catching sight of something, she leaned forward and stared out through the clear pane at the ground below, her cerulean eyes narrowing in confusion and perhaps disapproval as well.

"What is it?" Marik asked, coming over closer to look out the window with her.

"Look down there," Ishizu instructed, nodding toward the sparse and brown grass. As Marik looked, he caught sight of an all-too-familiar spikey-haired brunette wandering about. He frowned darkly.

"What's Valon doing out there?" he muttered in irritation.

"I would assume he wished to explore his new surroundings," Ishizu remarked with a sigh. "We can only hope that he isn't planning to leave the palace grounds by himself." She knew that the Australian teenager was curious by nature, but this was not the time or place to exercise such inquisitive behavior—not when an unknown foe was tormenting the land. There was no telling what Valon might run into on his own.

"Oh, he probably will," Marik muttered, rolling his eyes.

* * *

Slowly he opened his eyes, finding that he had dozed off uncomfortably in the straight-backed chair in the center of his concealed lair. It would not be the first time. Talking with Colchis always wearied him. That man seemed to have so little intelligence. From what he had heard, Colchis's brother Fafnir had been given the brains in the family. He could believe it. But he supposed that Colchis's ignorance could prove to be a good thing. Colchis seemed to be too busy preening to realize that his new associate was actually a traitor. 

He straightened up and stood, walking to the window as he had done the previous night and looking out at the darkened sky of Juno. He had seen so many skies like that in the past—blackened by storms and sometimes by other such things. There had been one sky in the long ago past that he particularly remembered, a sky that had loomed over the gloomy sight of a battle.

_I was treacherous then,_ he mused to himself, _ruled by the influence of the Orichalcos. I even turned against my own family. For millennia I wandered in loneliness and solitude, sentenced to be alone because of my own, foolish actions. I thought I could purify the world . . . and maybe even resurrect Phiona. But it was not to be. In the end, I could do nothing. I was powerless to change what was. Humanity has rolled on, just as it always has._

The door opened slowly and he turned to greet whoever was approaching. The young brunette girl was peeking in through the crack, as if worrying that she would disturb the room's occupant. Upon finding him awake she smiled hopefully and opened her mouth to speak. "Father?"

He smiled in return, his golden eyes softening. "What is it, my child?" She was beautiful, so like her mother in many ways. . . . And for a moment he was again carried away in his thoughts, remembering the woman he had loved so many ages past. Why had it been her lot to die? Why had he been forced to . . . never mind that now.

"I'm sure you already know this, Father, but Queen Sapphire at the palace brought several guests to the kingdom last night," the girl reported, opening the door more and coming inside. "Do you think that they'll be able to help stop what's happening?" She bit her lip, gazing out the window that her father had been looking out of a moment before. The last thing she wanted to witness was the destruction of this land. There had been so much devastation already, and she, unfortunately, had seen much of it. She was not all that she would appear to be to a casual observer. "It would be so horrible if Juno fell. . . ."

"It won't," he said calmly, walking over to her. "I'll make certain of it. You don't need to fear."

She looked up at him. "You seem so certain, Father," she remarked hesitatingly. "I know what you're trying to do to make sure that Colchis and his rebels are stopped, and I believe that you can do it, but . . . I'm still worried. . . ." Juno was such a strange and different land, and she did not know what sort of secrets were lurking within it. Her father might be getting into more danger than he would be able to deal with. Somehow she sensed something very ancient about this place—ancient and foreboding.

"Don't be worried, Chris," he smiled gently. "And as for Queen Sapphire's guests, they may indeed be able to help Juno."_ Either that, or they will become an enormous hindrance, and that's the last thing we need._

Chris sighed. "I hope so," she said slowly. "But I still don't understand why she even brought Mokuba Kaiba here. . . . He's only ten years old!" Her eyes took on a very sad, regretful look. "Kids like him shouldn't have to see wars. . . ." She had, when she had been around the same age as Mokuba was now. Though she still looked around that age, she had lived over ten thousand years ago. Life had been so much different then, in some ways—while in other ways it seemed to have not changed much at all.

His own eyes grew sad as he reached to pull her close to him. Words could not accurately express his feelings, so he remained in silence. But his heart ached as he remembered what she had witnessed—and why.

* * *

Valon wandered about the palace grounds in boredom. He had hoped to find some clues as to who their unwanted intruder had been (if someone had actually broken into the palace at all), but everything looked normal—or at least, as normal as it could look under the circumstances. The boy frowned, kicking a stone aside as he surveyed the dead and dying gardens. He could tell that they had been beautiful once, perhaps not unlike the grounds at the church where he had lived as a child, but now the grass, flowers, and trees were all wilting and dying. It was rather depressing. 

Abruptly an arrow shot past him to slam into a nearby tree. Immediately he came to attention, turning with annoyed and flashing eyes in the direction that the arrow had come from. Seeing nothing, the Australian frowned and looked back to the arrow. "Hey, what the heck's up with this?" he yelled, just as another arrow whipped by again, this one grazing his shoulder.

Now he was angry. Valon turned again, and seeing only a large tree near the edge of the grounds, he headed toward it. The branches were mostly bare and twisted, but he thought he caught sight of something moving around the back. Then he heard the straining of a bow as it was pulled back to allow an arrow in. Swiftly he ran around the rotund trunk from the opposite direction, tackling the assailant before the third weapon could fly.

They struggled on the grass for several long moments, first one getting the upper hand and then the other. Valon tried to pin the other person down, but he proved to be a formidable opponent and fought viciously, kicking the brown-haired boy back against the tree. Valon gasped in pain, dazedly watching the other man get up and grab for the front of his shirt. "Hey, what's the matter with you anyway?" he burst out then as he recovered from the blow. "I didn't do anything to you, but you were shootin' off your arrows at me!" With that he reached out, taking firm hold of the man's wrist.

His opponent glared at him from behind a mess of unkempt black hair that fell to his shoulders. His build was slightly more muscular and broad than Valon's, and he looked to be somewhat taller. His age, however, was most likely the same or similar. "One can't be too careful, in these parts," he retorted then. Valon was slightly surprised by the dignified tone to his voice. He had been expecting something rough and gravelly.

"You're a stranger here," he continued, grabbing at Valon with his free hand. "Why should you be lurking around the palace grounds as if you own them? That's in poor taste." His brown eyes flashed suspiciously.

Valon was definitely not pleased. With his own free hand, he struggled to pry the person's fingers away from his shirt. "You almost act like _you_ own 'em," he retorted. "Come on, the Queen let me come here—not that it's any of your business, mate." His mind raced as he tried to figure out what would be the best tactic in dealing with this obstinate person. He could always use one of his battle techniques, he supposed, if things grew too rough. It was tempting to simply strike and kick the man backwards, but Valon tried to restrain himself.

The raven-haired fighter frowned at him incredulously. "The Queen let you come?" he repeated, as if it was the most absurd thing he had ever heard. "You lie! She hasn't welcomed any guests since she reclaimed her throne. And ever since, strange things have continued to happen here! That means that I, Volker, have to live up to my name and defend the people!"

Valon stared at him in disbelief. "So . . . you're gonna defend the people by shooting at them?" he cried.

Volker frowned. "You're trying to put words in my mouth," he scolded. "You're a suspicious character. How would I know what you might be up to?" He continued to grip Valon tightly, and seemingly had no intentions of letting him go any time soon.

"How the heck would you know that you wouldn't be shooting at some bloke who wouldn't be trying to cause trouble?" Valon shot back in annoyance. "Come on, mate, if you're gonna defend the people, you can't be all haphazard about it." This was perhaps a hypocritical statement coming from Valon, but he did not stop to think about that. He was too irritated about being shot at by a zealous vigilante.

"Oh, and you think you could do a better job?" Volker demanded. This absurd boy was wasting his time. Maybe he was doing it on purpose, trying to distract him from the truth! Perhaps he had a partner in crime who was slowly sneaking up on them. He must not allow himself to become distracted. Then his mission would most likely end before it even truly began.

Valon felt his eye twitch. This person seriously knew how to press his buttons and what would make him angry. _Just how much of an idiot is he!_ he cried in his mind. _This is just stupid!_ "I never said I wanted your job," he snapped, "but yeah, I could do better than you without even trying!"

As their argument escalated, neither one realized that they were swiftly being surrounded by Alister, Raphael, the Ishtars, and Sapphire. The newcomers watched disapprovingly and with annoyance before Sapphire at last brought things to a halt by stepping closer and grabbing at their shoulders. Her headache had been gone upon awakening, which she was relieved about, but she would not doubt it if these two managed to get it started up again.

"That's enough from you, Volker," she said sternly, "and from you, as well, Valon." Both of them started and looked up at her in surprise as she continued. "You should be allies, not enemies! Juno is falling apart. We can't afford for possible friends to quarrel. In this time of need, we need all of the strong fighters we can get."

Volker frowned suspiciously. "Then . . . he truly was brought here by you, as he said?" he asked, dumb-founded. Alister raised an eyebrow at how familiarly he addressed Sapphire. There was something more at work here. Obviously they knew each other from elsewhere.

"That's right," Sapphire replied firmly. "Both of you, let go!"

Slowly Volker and Valon both did, though they glared at each other once more before starting to get up.

"This crazy idiot tried to kill me!" Valon said indignantly. "Then he kept spewin' some garbage about how he was gonna defend the people!" He went over by Alister and Raphael, who both looked annoyed by the whole matter.

"That is what his name means," Raphael mused, mostly to himself with narrowed eyes, "in German." But that baffled him. He had not known that Germans would be living here in Juno. It seemed like more of a Celtic land. Judging from Ishizu's furrowed brow, she was confused as well. Raphael wondered just many secrets this other dimension was still keeping.

"Aw, who cares," Valon muttered. Volker glared at him and was about to retort when Marik suddenly spoke.

"Well, who is he?" The Egyptian looked Volker up and down, as if trying to discover some meaning behind his presence. Why had Sapphire not mentioned him before? Was he unimportant? Marik would be inclined to brush him off as such, though since Volker was proving himself a nuisance, that was an important enough reason to have been informed about him.

Sapphire sighed, shaking her head. "He is a friend of mine from when I retreated with Kade to that village," she replied, turning to head back to the palace. The others, including Volker, followed her. "He is outraged by what has been happening in Juno and he does his best to fight against its enemies. He thinks of himself as a hero of sorts, and I will admit that he has stopped several rebels' plots." But though she cared about him as her friend, Sapphire often had to admit to herself that he usually did more harm than good. She had not told him about the arrival of Marik and the others, as she had known that he would zealously want to involve all of him in his plans, and that would have only ruined Sapphire's. She was afraid that Volker's impulsiveness would get him killed someday.

"That's right," Volker broke in, his eyes narrowed. "I do my part. I hope the six of you will each do yours."

Alister walked in silence, studying Volker from behind his honey-colored sunglasses. After exchanging a look with Raphael, he knew that they were both thinking the same thing—that they would have to try to make certain to keep Volker out of their way. He seemed to be erring too far to the right, being extreme in his views of who was a criminal and who was not. As Valon explained in more detail what had happened, Alister's feelings were only more fully confirmed. Volker did not think before acting, much like Valon himself—only Valon was not quite that rash. Volker could have killed Valon if he had been aiming better, or if Valon had not been able to dodge the arrows.

Though . . . if Volker truly was as terrible with his aim as it might appear, and so reckless, then how could he have ever accomplished anything? Alister supposed that maybe Sapphire had not meant that he had stopped the rebels' plots with the help of his arrow and bow, but in any case, it would take a man of intelligence to stop them, someone who could use mental as well as physical skills. Alister continued to ponder over this, wondering if Volker had never meant to actually kill Valon at all.

* * *

Colchis glared out at the land of Juno from the large window in Dartz's room. "You can see how fast it's crumbling," he growled, gesturing at the glass pane. After breakfast he had presented himself at the Atlanteans' home again, and neither Dartz, Chris, or Ironheart were very happy to have him back again so soon. And Dartz was not happy with what Colchis had come here to propose. It was nothing that he had not heard before. 

"We have to find that Talisman," Colchis said now, slamming his palm down on the windowsill. "It's causing all manner of destruction! But while we look for it, we have to continue infuriating the rebels about the Queen. They don't realize how they're being used by us, but they're proving extremely reliable. As long as they keep turning the kingdom upsidedown, we have more time to go about our plans!"

"Yes, yes, I know all that," Dartz answered boredly from his position at the small table. "But there's not much more that you can do right now. You've been working the rebels day and night to ready them for battle." He paused. "You've never told any of them that the Talisman itself is doing this," he observed then. "You've simply let them believe that the Queen is destroying Juno deliberately and that it's proof of her treachery."

Colchis gave a firm nod, smirking slightly. "Naturally," he remarked. "If they knew that the Talisman was acting on its own, it might change their view, and we can't have that. I want them to take care of eliminating Sapphire now, so that when the Talisman turns up and I've tamed it, I can immediately ascend the throne. I can tell the people that Fafnir would have wanted it that way and they'll all accept me as their king!" His eyes gleamed greedily as he pictured himself delivering this message and all of Juno rejoicing. He would have the power that his brother had desired. Nothing would stand in his way of it.

Dartz raised an eyebrow at him. "Tell me," he said slowly, voicing a question that had been on his mind for some time now. "You keep saying how you're going to tame the Talisman after you find it. But I don't see how. It doesn't want to be ordered around by anyone. It wants to be the master." _Queen Sapphire is actually lucky that it decided not to stay around,_ he mused to himself. _I wonder why it didn't. By controlling her, it could have claimed endless power. Maybe it was afraid that she would still overcome its power in the end._

Colchis turned to glare at him. "My family has special secrets," he snapped, "and you certainly will not learn of them! How would I know that you wouldn't decide to betray me and try to tame the Talisman for yourself?" He smirked then in his trademark way. "No, my friend. I won't tell you anything. Not until you've completely proven yourself." He walked over to the table. "But I can tell you this—I tamed part of the Talisman in the past. Remember, I told you I was in possession of a piece for quite some time."

Dartz merely put up his hands in defeat. "Alright, then," he replied. "If you're so confident that it isn't beyond your abilities, I won't try to discourage you." _He's even more insane than I thought,_ he growled silently. _He doesn't even realize that the piece was most likely just using him! I doubt that he ever managed to "tame" it. Probably it only stayed with him until it felt that the time was right to move on._

Colchis relaxed, turning back to the window. "It will be time for the battle soon," he breathed, "and what a glorious battle it will be!" He clenched a fist tightly, and Dartz knew he saw a smirk creeping over the man's features again. He had the feeling that Colchis was planning something especially devious for the battle, something that he had spoken nothing of yet. The golden-eyed man studied him, musing over what might be in his mind and how to go about picking it for the answers.

"There is something else that I find interesting," Dartz spoke again after a brief silence.

Colchis turned back to him, looking puzzled. "And what is that?" he wanted to know, his brow furrowing.

Dartz shrugged, making it look as though he did not care one way or another what the response would be. "There was a dragon in the myths—Scandinavian, I believe—and it was called Fafnir. An interesting coincidence, wouldn't you say?"

Colchis blinked in surprise, but then laughed. It was a cold, harsh sound, and Chris always hated to hear it. "Indeed," he declared. "An interesting coincidence."

Dartz nodded. "He was originally a man, according to the myths, but he turned into a dragon because of his excessive greed." He leaned back in his chair, looking up at Colchis calmly. Over his ten thousand years of existence, Dartz had learned many things. He had traveled from land to land, reviewing the peoples' cultures and beliefs. He had studied Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Scandinavian mythologies and had compared them with each other. He had tried to become familiar with everything he could about humanity—and yet he knew that there was still much that he did not understand. "Eventually," the turquoise-haired man continued, "he was killed by the warrior Sigurd, which is sometimes translated as Siegfried."

Colchis shrugged now. "While that's all very interesting, I certainly have no intentions of turning into a dragon myself," he smirked, "if that's what you're insinuating."

Dartz grunted. "We'll see," he responded, looking unimpressed.


	5. The First Battle

**Chapter Five**

Seto glared in irritation at the black screen of his laptop. They had electricity in this strange country, so why was it that he could not get his computer to work? It had not worked the previous night, either, but Sapphire had been ill then and he had not been able to ask her about it. And now today, she seemed to be dealing with a troublemaker on the grounds.

Seto leaned back, rubbing his forehead. He had definitely not been impressed with Juno so far, and he still did not see what good he and Mokuba would be able to do. Everything was ridiculous. And since Sapphire was ill, maybe all of this had been a delusion. That made sense. Yes, he and Mokuba could not have been meant to come along. Maybe it was the same for all of them.

_We're only a few people who don't even live here,_ he growled to himself. _How can we fix their problems? We shouldn't even have to. This is their world, and they should fix their own problems. I don't buy that nonsense about this place being dependant on where we live, and vice versa._

He glared out the window at the darkened sky. _They've got problems alright, but no one can fix their weather. That's out of everyone's control. And finding some pendant won't make it suddenly be a sunny, clear day._ Rolling his eyes, he stood up and turned away, intending to find Mokuba.

He did not have to go far. Suddenly the child was running into the room, excited about something, and crashed into him. Seto grunted in surprise, looking down at him. "What is it, Mokuba?" he asked.

Mokuba grinned up at him. "They have a really great library here!" he exclaimed. "There's all kinds of books about Juno, and the people, and even some books about how authors in our world wrote stuff about this place!" He was fascinated by the discoveries, and by Juno in general. He only wished that the land was not in such a state of devastation and dismay. It looked like the sort of place that he would enjoy exploring, and he was certain that his friend Leonhard von Schroider would love it as well. Maybe, if things were better some day, he could bring Leonhard here and they could explore.

Seto blinked in surprise. "A library, huh?" That could prove useful. If he could determine what was going on in this world, then perhaps he could figure out how to get back to the real world with Mokuba. He looked into Mokuba's eyes searchingly. "Where is it?"

Mokuba grinned, running out into the hall. "Come on, Seto!" he called. "I'll show you!"

Shaking his head in slight amusement, Seto followed after the enthusiastic boy. He was supposed to protect Mokuba. Others, such as Mokuba's friend Marik, were capable of it and even willing to do so, but Seto felt that it was his responsibility. And after all, what good was any world in which Mokuba was not present? Seto refused to let anything happen to his brother in this strange dimension, or hidden land, or whatever it was. There was plenty that could go wrong in a war, even if Seto refused to accept that magic was part of it.

* * *

Dartz stood at the large window, watching Colchis take his departure. The rebellion leader had stayed for a while following their conversation about Norse mythology, and Dartz had the bad feeling that Colchis was planning something that he did not even want to reveal to his so-called "partner in crime." But if that was so, then why? Colchis would not have a reason to suspect that Dartz was going to betray him. He had not wanted to tell Dartz about the Talisman's secrets, but Dartz had assumed that was a precaution he would take with anyone. 

"Father?"

He heard footsteps approaching, but he did not turn around. Chris came over to him, looking out at Colchis as well.

"Something is going to go wrong," the girl said quietly, petting her wolf Skye. She had to feel certain that Colchis was smarter than he seemed, even though he was likely not as much so as his brother had been. And she could see that Dartz was having doubts himself about what to believe.

"Yes," Dartz answered slowly, "but exactly what it will be is something that I'm still trying to determine." He narrowed his eyes darkly. "I have to wonder if Colchis is planning to incite those rebels until they're ready for a full-scale war. In fact, I wonder what's taken him so long to do it. He's a very impatient man." Now he turned away from the window, facing Chris. "Maybe it has something to do with the Talisman," he mused, "and he didn't want to tell me because he wants to find it himself."

Chris nodded. "That's possible," she agreed slowly. "Maybe he'll have the rebels create some kind of diversion because he thinks he knows where the Talisman is, and he wants to be the first to get to it." Skye whined softly and she petted him again. This was an unstable land, in unstable times, and there were times that she admittedly wished that they had not gotten involved with its problems. But it was true that this dimension and the normal Earth dimension were irrevocably linked. Whether she liked it or not, it was that way.

Dartz narrowed his eyes in irritation. "I should have that trouble maker followed." But he did not know to whom he could possibly assign the job. Colchis had met Dartz's family, and he did not want to subject them to any unnecessary danger anyway. He rubbed his forehead in frustration.

Chris thought about this. "Alexander would probably be happy to," she said then. "Colchis hasn't ever seen him, and if he saw him flying around, he'd probably just think that Alexander is one of the local creatures." Dartz had made certain that Alexander had stayed hidden when Colchis was around. Usually the strange being was happy to comply with whatever Dartz wanted. Both Dartz and Chris wondered if Alexander was truly aware of the danger that Dartz could be in by associating with such a person, and in trying to convince said person that he was an ally.

Dartz sighed. "I really didn't want him to get involved in this at all," he muttered, "especially not when my former warriors are here. If they happen to see him, then they will most likely suspect that I'm here as well." And that was something that he did not want to have happen. Of course, he did suppose that there was the chance that it would not disturb his cover. In fact, it might actually be able to be used to his advantage. Perhaps the bikers would suspect that he would be on the opposing side, and it would help to convince Colchis of that.

"Well, we need to try something," Chris replied, "and the longer we talk, the further away Colchis is getting."

Dartz sighed, knowing that his daughter was right. "Where is Alexander?" he asked, supposing that Chris would know. The girl was still close friends with the creature, and they often spent time together when Dartz was off trying to take care of business concerning his secret identity. He reminded Dartz of a proverb he had once read: "Simplicity of character is the natural product of profound thought." That truly described Alexander—and other children—perfectly. Alexander seemed so very simple at first glance, but there were so many layers and aspects of his personality that it was actually overwhelming.

Chris was about to reply when the doppelganger abruptly appeared in the room. "Hi!" Alexander exclaimed, smiling brightly and revealing his fanged canine teeth. His angel and demon wings protruded from his back, spread out as a sign of his bliss.

Dartz shook his head, still amazed by the child in the body of a twenty-year-old man. "I need you to do something for me, Alexander, and quickly," he said, and told of the need to follow Colchis. "He could be plotting some sort of uprising, and if so, I need to know about it." He narrowed his eyes sternly. "But you have to make certain that he doesn't know you're following him. He cannot see you come back here. Do you understand?"

Alexander nodded, blinking his ice-blue eyes at Dartz. "Okay!" he chirped in his soft voice. "I won't let you down." With that he went to the window, thrust it open, and jumped out. He did not even give a second thought to the request. He was simply ready and willing to fulfill it.

Dartz and Chris watched him as he spread his wings and soared through the sky. He was such a free spirit, unable to be contained. It was damaging to his soul for anyone to ever try to do so. And, Dartz realized to himself, he had never tried. He had always tried to give Alexander his freedom and only restricted him in cases where he was actually trying to help him, such as when he knew that if Alexander flew freely over Domino City in the daytime it would only cause a panic and be bad for the poor creature in the end.

"He'll be alright, Father," Chris said firmly, breaking into Dartz's thoughts.

"Of course," the turquoise-haired man replied as a breeze from the open window blew his bangs about. "I don't doubt his abilities. He can protect himself." He crossed his arms. Regardless of Alexander's skills in taking care of himself, Dartz still did feel apprehensive. He could sense that something was going to go wrong—and he wished he knew what it was.

* * *

Marik spent the better part of the afternoon with Kade, letting the child lead him around the castle and show him more of his favorite locations. Marik remembered many of them from his previous experience in Juno, and even though the situation was so vastly different now, he could not forget how it had been before. 

There was the treasury, where he and his siblings had gone to retrieve the first part of the Talisman. He remembered that experience only too well. They had barely escaped being caught by an intruder who had also wanted the piece of the Talisman. The person had torn off part of the back of Ishizu's dress as they had fled out of a back exit.

There was the library, where he had gone at times to try to read about Juno and to understand what was happening. Rishid had taken him there sometimes, explaining to him what he had been told about his life and showing him books about the previous kings. Marik had been disgusted at the thought of Rishid being told that he was related to any of those wicked rulers. Later, after Ishizu had joined them, she had found some of the most informative books on Juno for them to study.

And of course there was the royal quarters. After Marik had been dragged into the palace, battered and bleeding, Rishid had remembered him in some part of his heart and had brought him to be laid in his own bed while the wounds were tended to. Marik still recalled waking up amongst the soft covers and realizing that Rishid himself was cleaning and bandaging the wounds, even though he was the ruling king and would certainly never be expected to do that. Marik had been so surprised and overjoyed. Rishid had treated him coldly then, but he had never meant to hurt his brother.

Kade stopped in front of Marik and looked up at him, beaming. "It's so much fun now that you're back again, Mr. Marik!" he declared. "I didn't really have anyone to play with before. Mommy's always really busy, and she gets those headaches too. . . ." He bit his lip and trailed off, worry for his mother obvious in his eyes.

Marik frowned in concern. "Do you remember when her headaches started, Kade?" he asked. A suspicion had started to form in his mind, but he was unsure of how possible it was.

Kade looked up at the ceiling, trying to remember. His young mind was not good with determining dates and measuring weeks, but he could do it by incidents. "I think it was right before the Talisman went away," he said at last. "It started acting mean, and then it went _poof!_" He demonstrated with his hands, and Marik watched in amusement.

"I see," the Egyptian said slowly. He wondered if it was possible that the Talisman itself had caused the headaches to begin. It certainly did not seem implausible, especially if they were going to consider that the object had vanished and had started deliberately causing all the trouble. Marik did not know what he thought, but it had been obvious that the device had been able to act for itself. What he did not understand was, Why would it turn against them now? It was supposed to have been created for good, and yet it behaved as if it was corrupted.

Abruptly the lights flickered and Marik frowned, looking up. "That's odd," he muttered.

Kade blinked up at the chandelier. "Maybe there's a storm outside," he suggested. "The sky always looks really dark, and sometimes we have really awful storms with hail and lightning!" Quickly he ran to the nearest window and looked out, then blinked in confusion. "Nope, no storm!" he announced as Marik walked over. "It's all cloudy and stuff, but it's all quiet."

Now Marik was even more suspicious. After all, surely all of the light bulbs wouldn't flicker at once—unless, perhaps, someone was tinkering with the fusebox. He wondered if someone could have somehow broken in.

Kade looked up at him, obviously not bothered by the strange occurrence. "What should we do now, Mr. Marik?" he chirped.

Marik smiled down at him. "Let's find your mother," he said calmly.

Kade nodded agreeably. "Okay," he grinned, hurrying back down the hall. Marik shook his head and followed him.

_I hope I'm wrong,_ he said to himself as they turned the corner. _If we have intruders, we don't even have an army to fight them. There's just us. Mokuba and Kade would certainly have to be kept somewhere safe, and Ishizu wouldn't really be useful in a physical fight._

This brought to mind recollections of Adelpha, who had led the rebel alliance when Rishid had ruled Juno as a figurehead, with Fafnir pulling the strings. She had formed an odd friendship with Ishizu, and even though they had been different in many ways, they had also had their similarities. They had both cared deeply about their siblings, and they had both strived to fight for righteousness. Marik still felt saddened to think of Adelpha being dead, but he supposed that he did not have a right to be. Now she was able to be with her family again.

He stopped short, coming back to the present as he heard Kade scream. Panic rising in his heart, he ran around the corner—and found himself staring down a silver blade. As he cast his gaze upward, he saw an unfamiliar, deeply scarred face looking back at him.

The face sneered. "What have we here," came a throaty voice. "One of Queen Sapphire's prized helpers?" The owner of the face and the voice touched the tip of the blade to Marik's neck. "I hate anyone associated with her."

Marik glared at him, feeling rage and anger boiling in his soul. "Where's Kade?" he demanded. "If you've done anything to him, I swear I'll . . ."

"You'll do what? Kill me?" The wicked man laughed. "Don't worry, Kade is fine. I just had one of my associates take him so that he wouldn't have to witness what we're about to do." He drew his sword back, as if intending to run Marik through. "After all, he's just a child and he shouldn't have to see such things. Don't you agree?"

Immediately Marik brought out the Millennium Rod, clanging it against the blade. "And what are you going to do?" He looked into the dark eyes searchingly, but saw only dark emotions to match. This was a man who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. Marik knew, for he recognized the emotions as being his own in times past.

"We," replied his attacker, leaning in close, "are going to overthrow the queen and set up a new monarchy." He grinned, and Marik almost gagged on his bad breath.

"Oh really?" the lavender-eyed boy snapped. "And who's going to be your ruler?"

"You'll find out," was the only answer he was given. The man advanced again as the lights flickered more violently and then went out.

* * *

Ishizu was standing on one of the highest levels of the castle, near a window, when she sensed that something was not right. Instantly she looked about, her blue eyes narrowed darkly. "Marik," she whispered, fearful for his safety, and Rishid's. She turned to go to the staircase, but then she felt a hand touch her back. She let out a small gasp. 

A quiet, seductive laugh filled the room. "Now, now, Isis, don't run away." She recognized the evil voice of Colchis and felt her blood run cold. In the past he had often shadowed her, fascinated by her gift to tell the future and wanting to use it for his own purposes. He also seemed to have an unhealthy physical attraction to her, which highly disturbed her. She had hoped that she would never have to deal with him again. And yet, now here he was, behaving the same as he always had.

Of course, she would not let him know that she was apprehensive. She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes perfectly calm and impassable. "I wasn't expecting that you would have the courage—or would that be, the audacity—to come back to the palace, Lord Colchis," she said, using the title "Lord" as a rebuke. "You realize, you are a wanted man."

Colchis took his hand off her shoulder and stepped around to face her, smirking wickedly. "Yes, I know," he replied, "but that won't matter now."

Ishizu frowned, studying him for any sort of clues as to what he could mean. "Why won't it?" she asked. "There are people here who would not hesitate to attack and even to kill you if they knew you had come back." Her words were not a falsehood. She was certain that the strange Volker, who had taken up residence in the palace by Sapphire's request, would be the type who would want to rid the world of such a tyrant in any way that he could. She could easily imagine him letting out a war cry and lunging at Colchis while firing his arrows.

Colchis just laughed. "They don't matter. They don't matter at all. You see, Isis, I have obtained knowledge of where the Talisman is." His eyes gleamed in an almost psychotic way, accentuated by a burst of lightning from outside the window. "Once I have that, then I can control life and death." He held his hand in front of him, the fingers extended and partially curled, as if reaching to grasp something.

Ishizu stepped back from him. "The Talisman's purpose is for good," she said quietly. "You cannot use it for evil, or you will suffer the consequences. It will destroy you!"

Colchis seemed to focus again, turning to look at her. A low chuckle rumbled in his throat. "The Talisman was created for evil," he answered. Ishizu was such a foolish, naive woman in his eyes, to believe that it could be otherwise. "It cannot go against its original purpose. Remember, the legend says that after Geates was betrayed, he forged the Talisman to wield his anger and hatred. Juno was tormented for many days and nights by it, until a great warrior arose and killed Geates and scattered the pieces of the Talisman." He smirked in a satisfied way. "What the legend probably didn't tell you is that the warrior was my brother, Fafnir."

Ishizu stared at him, stunned by this admission. But how could it be true? The legend had been circling for many centuries, according to the books she had read about the land. It was one of the most famous myths, retold time and again. Outside of gaining immortality, she did not see how Fafnir could have been the one to do as Colchis was claiming. And Fafnir could not have possessed immortality, for he had been killed during the last battle for Juno's freedom. Then his body had been torched on a funeral pyre so that there would not be any chance of his loyal followers trying to dig up the corpse to perform a dark ritual to revive him. Sapphire had told her this in secret the previous night, when she had been ill with her headache.

"And how could that have been possible?" she wanted to know now, watching the man suspiciously. "This legend is very old."

"So was Fafnir," Colchis said smoothly. From his eyes, Ishizu could see that some part of him admired, or at least respected, his older brother. "He knew exactly how to gain the people's trust, so he divided the pieces of the Talisman and bided his time until he was sufficiently powerful to be able to start retrieving him again." He turned to leave. "But I don't want to give everything away, so I won't tell you how he lived for so many years," he smirked. "The only other information I'll give you is that Fafnir was actually the man who betrayed Geates in the first place." Lightning flashed again, and in that split second, Colchis managed to escape.

Ishizu frowned darkly, looking to the area where the man had just been standing. She knew he must have vanished through one of the many secret panels that were spread throughout the palace, but she also knew it would be foolish to try to find it and follow him all on her own. She would find the others and inform them of what was going on.

Suddenly she recalled the premonition she had experienced right before Colchis had appeared. Perhaps that man was the least of their worries right at this moment. Marik could be in danger, and if he was in trouble, maybe everyone in the palace was as well. Feeling panic growing in her heart once again, Ishizu turned and hurried down the hall to the stairs, becoming aware of shouting and screaming coming from the lower levels. Something was, indeed, very wrong.

* * *

The palace was suffering a full-scale invasion. The rebel forces were everywhere, on nearly every level, and destruction and carnage followed them wherever they went. The queen's loyal servants were being easily felled, as they were not trained in combat and had not even been expecting something like this to happen. The guests, including Volker, were fighting the intruders to the best of their abilities, but were still being largely overpowered.

Ishizu ran through this scene of bloodshed, searching desperately for her brothers. Her heart raced every time she stumbled upon a fallen form, afraid that she would discover one of her loved ones—or one of the others who had come to Juno with them. When she did not find them, she would hope fervently for the best, praying for their safety as she sadly stepped over the broken bodies.

This was a nightmare! How had it happened so suddenly? It seemed to her as though the rebels had managed to slip in without any warning. Had she been so preoccupied with Colchis that she had not seen them through the window? Or had they already been in the palace then? Perhaps they had found a secret way in through one of the many tunnels. She and her brothers had escaped the palace from one such passageway, so that would make sense.

As she turned another corner, she found Valon running toward her. His eyes were flaming with outrage and his clothes were torn and bloodied, but whether it was his own blood or an opponent's, she could not say.

He slowed down when he saw her. "Where's Alister and Raph?" he demanded, not seeming to notice or care that his goggles were askew on his head. He had been taken completely by surprise, having been attacked by two rebels at once, and it had taken quite a bit of roughhousing before he had been able to defeat them. Now he was frantic to find his friends. They could be anywhere in the palace, perhaps being attacked, wounded . . . and killed. But no, he would not think about that. They could take care of themselves. They would still be alive. They had to be.

"I'm sorry," Ishizu told him softly, "I haven't seen them. Have you seen my brothers?" Quickly she stepped back as an arrow flew past and embedded itself in a pillar right next to where she had been standing. With a frown she turned to see who had fired, but there was too much chaos to be able to tell. She could only hope that Volker was not trying to shoot and discovering that he had a bad aim.

"Naw," Valon said, shaking his head as he also glared at the arrow. "Sorry." He looked at her, wanting to tell her that she should go somewhere away from the fighting, but he knew that she would not. Her determination to find Marik and Rishid was much too strong, and he could respect that. So instead he told her to be careful while she looked for them and that if he found them, he would inform them that Ishizu was looking for them. Then he ran past her and down the hall.

He had not gone far when a rumbling sound seemed to shake the entire floor, followed by a loud and cacophonous explosion. The floor erupted and Valon yelped as he was abruptly thrown through the air. He crashed down again, rolling over and over until he hit something hard and cold. Vaguely he registered that it was some sort of pillar, but he was too dazed to comprehend that he was now laying outside. His thoughts were in a jumble as he remembered the fighting, looking for his friends, and the explosion.

_Are they blowing up the palace?_ he wondered, seeing several near-dead rose petals from one of the palace vases floating down over him. He wanted to get up, but his body did not seem to understand how to cooperate. Then he saw a spear flying towards him and everything went black.

* * *

A shadowy figure rode over the deadened plain on a brown horse. A cloak was tightly pulled over his shoulders and his golden eyes were grim. He snapped the reins to make the animal go faster, but he wondered if anything could get him there fast enough now. 

Alexander had never returned from his venture in following Colchis. Whether this meant he had gotten in trouble or just that he was still shadowing the man, Dartz did not know. But he could see the fires from the palace, even all the way from his office window. It seemed that his suspicion about the rebels launching an attack had been proven true. Alexander could be at the palace, trying to protect Alister. Blast, that creature was so devoted to the gray-eyed man!

As he drew closer to the palace, he could see blood and bodies strewn about on the grass. The palace itself was at least half gone, due to what appeared to be an explosion. Pillars and walls lay in pieces on the ground, and the rest of the building was still in flames.

Slowly he climbed down from the horse, narrowing his eyes at the bloodshed before him. He kept the hood of the cloak pulled over far enough that his features were concealed, and walked forward. He tried to be careful to avoid stepping on the lifeless bodies, but it was proving difficult. Several times he nearly tripped and lost his balance, and would have to quickly catch himself before he would descend into the blood and gore.

It looked as though some of the rebels themselves had been killed in the explosion, and Dartz's eyes narrowed. So they did not care about keeping their own safe? They apparently were the type who would do anything to get what they wanted, and even though Dartz wanted to feel completely disgusted, he could not. His own crimes had been similar. He had to wonder if he had been any better at all than they.

A groan met his ears and he looked down to see Alister laying on his side in the grass. His crimson hair was ruffled and his eyes were closed, and Dartz determined that he was mostly unconscious. He leaned down, checking his former warrior's vital signs, and then straightened up. Alister did not appear to be badly hurt. More than likely, he was mainly stunned from being thrown due to the blast. He would recover.

As Dartz looked around again, he saw two of the remaining rebels lifting up a limp body. Not liking the looks of that, he walked over for a closer look. "What are you doing?" he asked, gazing to the form they were holding. Blood was everywhere and it looked as though the poor person was only barely alive, if that. What was more, the body was not that of any of the other rebels.

"Lord Colchis thought we should take a hostage," came the reply from the first, taller rebel. He stared Dartz down and then growled. "You weren't supposed to know about any of this," he said flatly, having recognized the Atlantean's voice.

"Excuse me for having noticed the palace in flames," Dartz answered sarcastically. "What are you going to do with this . . . hostage?"

The second rebel laughed darkly. "Stick with us, and you'll find out," he answered. Dartz was not pleased with that response.


	6. The Aftermath

**Chapter Six**

Consciousness began to return, along with a sense of pain that traveled down his left arm. Slowly his gray eyes opened, taking in the sight of the grass that was right in his face. He was laying on his side on the ground, blood streaming down his arm from a wound near his shoulder. It was not serious, but for Heaven's sake, it hurt!

Alister growled to himself, forcing his lanky body to get into a sitting position. His head hurt too. He remembered being knocked unconscious by a bit of falling debris from the collapsing palace. And now he feared for his comrades. Were they hurt too? Had some of them even, perhaps, been killed?

Shakily he stood, forcing himself not to think of it. He stumbled ahead, placing a handkerchief over the wound on his arm, and looking around for the others. He did not see much sense in calling out for them. If they were awake and alive, they could not be too far away. And there was the possibility that some of their enemies were still lurking about. If so, the last thing Alister wanted to do was call out and draw attention to himself. Besides, if the others were unconscious, calling to him would not do any good anyway.

Blood was splattered on the grass, as well as broken marble from the demolished palace. Alister gave the building a cursory glance as he turned the corner. He doubted that it would be repaired anytime soon—if repairing it was even an option.

A far-off flash of lightning flickered, sending a bit of a glow upon one of the fallen inner pillars—the ones that were not as thick or heavy as the ones on the outside, but still deadly enough. Alister's eyes widened when he realized there was a body trapped underneath it. Quickly he hastened over, then dropped to his knees beside the muscular form. It was Raphael. He was laying on his back, his cerulean eyes closed and his hands limply gripping the pillar, as if trying to get it off. He was very still.

Alister's own eyes narrowed. Was he . . . dead? And even if he was not, was he hurt too badly to be able to survive much longer? . . . Would Alister even be able to remove the pillar? Shakily the redhead bent down, trying to hear if Raphael was breathing. It seemed to him as if he was, but then again, he could not be sure. But he stood up, straining to lift one end of the pillar and shove the thing away. His wounded arm protested, though Alister ignored it—but he soon came to the conclusion that he simply was not strong enough to free his friend. He needed someone to help him.

"Mr. Mackenzie?"

Immediately Alister looked up at the sound of the deep, formal voice. Rishid was standing over him, looking deeply concerned and sympathetic. He was bleeding from a head wound and his clothes were ripped and torn, but otherwise he seemed to be alright. "May I be of assistance?" he asked now, moving to help with the pillar. Alister just nodded gratefully and they fell to struggling with the offensive object, at last getting it upright and then pushing it away from all of them.

"Thank you," Alister said quietly as he dropped back to his knees, feeling along Raphael's chest for broken ribs. It was possible, he knew, that Raphael had managed to catch the pillar in his hands but then had fallen and gotten trapped under it anyway because of his wounded leg. If that had happened, perhaps he would not have gotten too horribly injured. As it was, Alister could not seem to find that any ribs were broken. And to his relief, Raphael was definitely breathing. Perhaps he was unconscious mainly because he had struck his head on a rock or something else hard.

Quickly Alister went to the nearby pond, dampening a cloth and bringing it back. He brushed it gently over Raphael's forehead in hopes of reviving him and then began tending to the man's wounds. "Are your brother and sister safe?" he asked Rishid quietly. He knew how horrible it was to lose siblings. He did not want someone else to suffer now as he had years before.

Though, he realized, Mokuba would have suffered greatly if Alister had managed to defeat Seto during Doom. It pained the redhead to think of it now. He had thought he was fighting for justice and to rid the world of an evil tyrant, but he had been so misguided and wrong. And actually, when he thought about it, he blamed himself for his brother's death more deeply than he blamed anyone else. Even during Doom, that had been the way it was.

"Yes," Rishid said with a nod. "They are helping the Kaibas. Seto, I am afraid, was shot by an arrow during the battle—though he is expected to fully recover. I came to see if you and your friends were safe." He paused before adding that he had not been able to find Valon anywhere. This concerned him, as it concerned Alister as well. Valon could have been buried somewhere by the debris, though they hated to think it. Or something else could have happened to him. He might not be alive, whatever the circumstances.

But Alister did not want to think about that right now. His eyes narrowed in concern for the missing Australian as he worked at tying a makeshift bandage over the wound on Raphael's leg. Valon would turn up, he tried to convince himself, and he would be fine. He was always fine.

Rishid watched the younger man carefully work to help his friend. Raphael would probably be alright, the Egyptian determined. And he was so very grateful that Marik and Ishizu had not been seriously injured during the battle. Marik was sporting several bad cuts and bruises, and Ishizu had been grazed by an arrow as well, but they were both going to be fine. As for Mokuba, he had managed to remain mostly unscathed, save for several bruises and scrapes sustained when he had fallen down the stairs. Marik was working at the moment to remove the arrow Seto had been pierced with, but when Rishid had left, it had seemed to be coming out nicely.

He thought back to Sapphire's words spoken upon their collective arrival in the palace, and then after she had experienced one of her painful headaches. She had been so weakened and drained then that Marik had been alarmed wondering if there was a chance that she would die, leaving Kade behind. But she had been firm that she would survive . . . if Colchis and his new allies were stopped.

Marik had vowed that he would make certain it came to pass. He was not going to have poor Kade be left without his mother. His father had already been taken from him years before, and then there had been the experience when Kade had seen Marik supposedly dead. Afterwords, the child had been unwilling to believe what he had seen, and he had been convinced that Marik would come back. That miracle had come to pass, but such things would not happen every time, nor to everyone.

"We can't stay here."

Alister's voice brought Rishid back to the present. And he knew the redhead was right.

"Sapphire spoke of a home she has up in the mountains," Rishid said quietly. "We must travel there with our party." The royal carriages, pulled by the flying Kioli, would be able to take them. The Kioli had fled during the fight, carriages and all, but Sapphire had the means to summon them back. Certainly the little group would not be able to walk all that way, especially with their wounded, so the Kioli would be a great blessing.

Alister felt dizzy. He could not leave, not without finding Valon first. But Raphael and Seto, especially, needed to get somewhere to rest. They could not wait while Alister searched. "Take the wounded and go," he said at last. "I'm staying." He would look everywhere he could for the spunky Australian. He had to be somewhere, after all! He could not have just vanished into nothing.

Rishid frowned as he studied the spare, trim man. "You should not be here alone," he retorted. "There is no telling what could happen." And what was more, Alister would likely have trouble moving some of the heaviest debris. Rishid was certain that the reason Alister wanted to remain was because he wanted to look for Valon. And Rishid most certainly agreed. He could never dream of abandoning Marik or Ishizu.

"I'll be fine," Alister retorted. But he knew it could be dangerous. It was possible that they were being spied on by more of their enemies. If Alister was here alone, and did happen to find Valon, they could both end up in trouble. Still, he did not want to impose on Rishid. The Egyptian had his own siblings to look out for.

"Rishid! Rishid!"

Both men looked up as Marik came running over, Kade held close in his arms. The lavender-eyed boy stopped short at the scene before him, gasping at the sight of Raphael laying so still. The muscular biker had not stirred at all, prompting Alister to be concerned that maybe he was hurt worse than it appeared.

Kade looked over as well, blinking worried blue eyes. "Did he go away?" he asked, gripping a handful of Marik's shirt.

Alister smiled gently at the child's innocence. "No," he replied, his voice softening, "but he's hurt. We need to take him somewhere safe." He felt through Raphael's hair carefully, searching for any kind of bump or tender spot.

Marik swallowed. "Yes," he said softly. "Sapphire is summoning the Kioli right now, but we won't be able to dawdle about. Kaiba needs medical attention, and it looks like Raphael does as well." But he could see that someone was still missing. And the remaining, conscious biker would never abandon his friend. Alister would stay until he found Valon . . . or some indication of what had happened to him.

"Go with them, Marik," Rishid said at last. "I will remain a while longer and assist Mr. Mackenzie in searching for his friend." Neither of his siblings were badly hurt, and Rishid was confident that they would get to the new location safely. But Valon, being unaccounted for, could be in serious trouble. At least the Ishtars were somewhat familiar with the many dangers in Juno. Valon and his friends—and the Kaibas—really did not know and were only finding out now.

Marik bit his lip, not really wanting to leave Rishid and Alister here alone but knowing that he did need to get the wounded—and the children—to safety. Surely all would be well. . . . He had to believe it would be. "Alright," he agreed at last, though he still felt uneasy. "But please, Rishid. . . . Be careful." His voice came out in a choked whisper.

Rishid smiled kindly. "We will be, my brother—as, I hope, you will be as well."

Marik nodded before hurrying off with Kade to return to the others. It was not long before the Kiolis, with their carriages, could be seen in the sky. Alister looked up at them, hoping they would be safe, and then returned to the task at hand.

* * *

Sapphire's mountain home was beautiful. It was made of marble, as was the palace, and on clear days it sparkled and could be seen from afar when one was traveling through the sky. Even now, when it was all so clouded over, its splendor could not be hidden. As the Kioli pulled their carriages through the clouds, the structure suddenly came into view. Kade exclaimed in delight, while Mokuba blinked and stared. He had not thought that a place such as this could be built on top of a mountain. But soon his mind wandered again. He could not concentrate. He was too worried about Seto. 

Marik noticed this. Gently he laid a hand on the child's shoulder. "Your brother will be fine," he said firmly. "The arrow didn't seem to have pierced anything vital." And yet he knew that there was still danger. Seto could have lost a lot of blood. There was not any way for them to know that for certain until they got into the home and the surviving doctor would be able to examine him.

"Yeah," Mokuba said quietly, biting his lip. He looked to where Seto was laying in the back of the carriage. The older boy's eyes were closed, but Mokuba could not tell whether he was asleep or unconscious. At least he was breathing evenly.

The child looked up at Marik. "I didn't see it happen," he said now. "After the explosion, everyone was running around, and people were laying all over . . . and there was blood. . . ." Tears filled his eyes. "I looked all around for Seto, but I couldn't find him. . . . Then . . . then that Volker guy came and told me Seto had been shot. . . ." Mokuba's world had frozen in that moment, and he had feared so greatly for his brother's life. Even after following Volker and finding that Seto was still alive—and conscious at the time—his worries had not quieted. Mokuba had read a lot of fantasy and mystery books, and he wondered if the arrowhead could have been poisoned. He tried to convince himself that he was just coming up with the most unlikely, worst case scenario, but that did not make the thoughts go away.

Marik pulled his friend close as the carriage began to descend onto the summer home's grounds. "We've both had times like that," he replied, recalling the time when he had found Ishizu laying injured on the ground after she had been struck by a car. He had felt so confused and helpless, and it was obvious that Mokuba felt that way now.

Mokuba hugged Marik tightly, letting the tears slip free. Perhaps Seto had been right, he thought, and they should not have come. What good could they do, when there were so many who would be against them? They were so few. . . . Suddenly the entire quest seemed so very bleak.

"We've landed," Marik announced softly after a moment.

Mokuba looked up, seeing that they, indeed, touched the ground. Now they needed to get the wounded inside. Volker and the doctor were coming to lift Seto down first, as he seemed to be the most critically injured. Swallowing hard, Mokuba climbed down from the carriage. He watched them lift Seto out and then followed them to the building.

Marik watched them go, then climbed down to help lift Raphael out. Two of the other palace survivors came to assist. As they worked, Marik had to wonder what had happened to poor Valon. He hoped that the Australian had not been crushed in the collapsing building, but then again, being taken captive would most likely be an even worse fate.

* * *

Sensation settled over him slowly. He felt sore all over, though he was laying on something soft. When he managed to open his eyes and discovered that he was in a bed of exquisite design and comfort, he fancied for a moment that he was back in France with his family. Sonia was bouncing on the bed, wanting him to get up and play with her. Julien was waiting patiently on the other side, grinning widely. Their parents were downstairs, having breakfast and enjoying each other's company. . . . But no. It was all a fantasy. His family, his biological family, was dead. He sighed quietly to himself, trying to remember what was really happening. 

"Raphael?"

He directed his gaze toward the sound of the voice questioningly and found himself staring into concerned, gray orbs. Alister was here. And now Raphael remembered. He still had his adopted family.

"What happened?" he managed to ask, still trying to remember. _There was some sort of battle . . . and heavy objects were falling down. . . ._

Alister, who had been sitting on a chair, now moved to the edge of the bed. He was holding something in his hands, but Raphael could not make out what it was. Alister seemed . . . distressed, somehow—though he tried to hide it behind his facade. "A pillar fell on you," he replied then. "You're just lucky you weren't killed instantly and that nothing was broken. Apparently you managed to catch the column as it was falling on you. But you weren't able to throw it away nor to stay standing upright. Sapphire said you sustained a mild concussion somehow. You've been unconscious for quite a few hours."

Raphael frowned. Now that Alister spoke of it, he did seem to remember somewhat, back in his mind. He remembered it had also been hard to breathe and that he had gasped for air as he had felt oblivion descending over him. But it still was not very clear to him.

What _was_ clear was that Valon was not here. And this disturbed Raphael greatly. He could imagine the Australian, who was so enthusiastic sometimes, coming and plopping on the bed, happy that Raphael was awake. But Alister was alone. Raphael looked at him, asking where Valon was. He wondered if he truly wanted to know, and yet he knew that whatever the truth was, he would want to be aware of it.

Alister's eyes took on a darkness. "I don't know," he replied. "I have my suspicions, but nothing definite. Marik's brother and I searched for him for hours, but we never found him. He might still be buried in debris somewhere, but more likely . . . he was taken prisoner. This is all I found." With that he held up what he had been clutching in his hands and Raphael drew in a breath sharply.

Alister was holding Valon's goggles, which were dripping with blood.

* * *

Dartz looked down at the wounded teenager, his golden eyes narrowed grimly. The boy's eyes were wide open, gazing up blankly at the ceiling. His hands were curled, as if trying to grip the slab upon which he was laid. Obviously he was in excruciating pain, though he was not fully aware of anything. Blood was coming from a serious wound in his chest, and from other, smaller injuries in his flesh. 

It seemed strange, Dartz decided, to see the defiant, strong-willed, independently-minded Valon laying in such agony. The Australian had resisted anyone and everyone, even Dartz himself. Dartz knew that the main reason why Valon had joined Doom was because he had not had anywhere else to go. And most likely any alternative had seemed better to him than remaining in prison, where he had been cruelly and inhumanely treated more than once. But Valon had always managed to pick himself up after such defeats. This time he was not able to.

"Are you planning to help him, or are you intending to let him bleed to death?" Dartz wanted to know, hearing the rebels snickering quietly in the shadows of the room. It revolted him when he saw those who reveled in watching the torment of others, and it stirred up old feelings of wanting the world to be purified. He wished that someone who was truly ordained for that purpose would step forward to do so. He certainly had not been the right one, even though he had honestly believed himself to be.

"We'll help him," came the smirking reply. "But we'll also turn him to our side."

A third person, whom Dartz recognized as a doctor, entered the room. He pushed past the Atlantean and went to Valon, looking him over. Then he placed a hand over the teen's eyes, closing them as he spoke quietly in what Dartz vaguely understood to be Celtic. Valon shuddered, moaning softly, and then went still.

The doctor smiled. "I've put him to sleep," he announced, "but he can still hear us, through a haze. When he wakes, he'll remember whatever I've told him to." With that he crossed to a sink, cleansed his hands, and then picked up his medical tools. As he came back over, he spoke to Valon again—this time in English—and began to work on the wounds. The two rebels stood to the side, smirking victoriously.

Dartz was disgusted. The doctor was whispering lies to Valon, telling him that his friends had betrayed him. Had Valon not seen them do it? Of course he had! Alister had walked right by him, when Valon had been pleading for help. And Raphael had ignored him too. Valon was all alone, the way he had always been.

_You fool!_ Dartz yelled silently at the physician. _Can't you see that you are going to destroy these lives and hearts that have already been broken countless times in the past? Can't you see that you are drinking damnation to your soul? _He clenched a fist subconsciously. _Can't you see,_ he murmured, _that you are just like me?_ He could only hope that Valon would be able to resist this form of brainwashing that was being forced upon him—but in the boy's current state, he was not certain that it was likely. And undoubtedly, that was why they were doing this. Valon was too weakened to resist the hypnotism.

Dartz was torn over what to do. In good conscience, he could not stand by and watch this cruelty, but if he spoke against it he might be exposed as a spy. Or did they already suspect that?

He turned to look at the rebels. "You said earlier that I wasn't supposed to know about the attack," he said slowly. "Why was that?" He frowned. "Colchis and I were working together to organize your rebellion."

The tall one sneered. "Lord Colchis has been getting right wary of you," he laughed.

Dartz narrowed his eyes. "And why is that?" Again his thoughts turned to Alexander, and he wondered if the creature was alright. What if Colchis had used some local beings to attack and overpower Alexander? Maybe Colchis had learned, against the doppelganger's free will, that Alexander was connected with Dartz. If he had been suspicious before, learning something like that would make it worse.

"Well," the young man answered lazily, "you haven't been seen around these parts before. In fact, the first time anyone saw you was only several weeks ago, right before the Talisman vanished. Colchis wondered if you knew it was going to happen and came deliberately to get your hands on it. Almost as soon as you settled in, you found Colchis and said that you wanted to get involved in his plans for creating a rebel army." He came closer to Dartz, studying him with his dark, piercing eyes.

Dartz was unintimidated. Over the millennia he had met many such people, and it did not seem to be anything to get concerned over. After all, he had seen more than all of these people combined, and he had stared into the face of pure evil many times. This person was certainly nothing to fear in comparison.

"I have been a traveler for many centuries," he answered honestly. "I have been to many lands on every continent of this world. Only recently did I find my way here. It certainly had nothing to do with the Talisman." His eyes narrowed. "I want to rebuild Juno. I couldn't care less about that bauble that Colchis is so terribly entranced with."

The other dissenter turned to look at him now. "Oh?" he said, sounding surprised. "But having it would be the best way to rebuild Juno. The one who controls it wields unlimited amounts of power. It's just what we need to be able to overthrow Queen Sapphire and take over the land." He was shorter and stouter than the first, and a long scar went across his left cheek. Wild blonde bangs tickled his brow and nearly concealed his hazel eyes from view, but Dartz could still see them shining out.

"Yes," Dartz said, "but that's only if someone could control it. What's more likely is that the Talisman itself would only give its power to whom it wanted. Perhaps it would even fool someone into thinking that they were in control of it when they actually were not. Most likely it would destroy them in the end."

He looked back to where the doctor was mending Valon's worst wounds. The boy still seemed to be deeply unconscious, and the physician apparently saw no reason to even use a local anesthesia while he worked. The Atlantean wondered what Valon would be like upon awakening, and what the purpose of this exercise truly was. They certainly did not need any additions to their army. No, their reason for taking Valon must be much more dark and sinister.

"It seems to me," Dartz mused slowly, "that Colchis must have some other reason for not completely trusting me. After all, I'm sure that he doesn't trust anyone where matters of the Talisman are concerned."

The first rebel laughed again. "You're right," he agreed. "He doesn't trust us either. And he probably does have some other reason for being suspicious of you. But tell us this—does he have a reason to be?"

Dartz narrowed his eyes. "No, I wouldn't say so. I haven't done anything to go against Colchis's trust since my arrival."

The second revolutionary smiled. "Then you really don't have anything to worry about," he said calmly. "I'm sure Lord Colchis will reveal his reasons and see that he was wrong."

Dartz nodded vaguely. "Tell me," he spoke after a brief silence, "why did you want this boy here?" He had to stop himself before saying Valon's name. After all, it certainly would not do for them to know that he had any sort of connection with this prisoner. "Are you planning to use him to barter with your enemies?"

A wicked laugh was his answer. "That's too trivial," the tall rebel exclaimed. "If we were going to do that, we wouldn't need to go through this brainwashing. No, we took the kid in order to break the others' spirits. When we're done with him, he'll be convinced that his friends abandoned him and he won't want anything to do with them—unless it's to beat them up or something like that."

Dartz's lip curled in revulsion. "There are other ways to break their spirits," he retorted. "Aren't you going to a lot of trouble?"

"Not at all," said the first. "The more their spirits are broken, the easier it will be to destroy them when we come for the ultimate battle. The one today was merely practice."

"On the other hand, maybe you will only make their resolve stronger," Dartz answered flatly. "Maybe they will not want to see you win, especially after what you've done to their friend, and they will fight you more viciously than you could imagine." In fact, that was probably what would happen. He knew that his former warriors had grown very close to each other. They would not take this lightly.

"Of course, of course," came Colchis's voice from the doorway, and everyone—save the physician—turned. "But this boy will be fighting on our side, so they'll have to be careful about any attacks they might launch. They might hit him without meaning to." The wicked man sneered. "So I suppose you could say it's a form of bartering with the enemy, as you deduced, my friend." He was twirling something around in his hand, but he was still in the shadows and Dartz could not see what it was.

Dartz's eyes narrowed. "How long have you been listening to this conversation?" he wanted to know. He had actually not expected Colchis to be here. He had assumed that the greedy ruler-hopeful would be out scouring the land for the Talisman. Or could he already have found it?

"Long enough," Colchis grinned. "Anyway, a curious thing happened to me earlier and I wondered if you had any idea what this is." He held out the object in his hand, and Dartz could see that it was a very large feather, almost two-thirds of a foot in length. Its color was white, but a red substance was dripping off of it.

Dartz felt his blood run cold, but he knew that he could not show any unusual signs of acknowledgment. "It's a feather," he said dryly, "maybe from an unusually large bird or even a Kioli." Many thoughts crashed over in his mind as he gazed at the downy article. He was certain that he did know where it had come from. Was Alexander only wounded, or was he dead? Could the feather possibly have just fallen from his wing and he was unharmed? But then, what would account for the blood?

"Yes," Colchis agreed with a strange smile, "that's what one would think, wouldn't they." He tossed the feather onto the floor. "Well, it just so happens that I was being shadowed by a strange young man with wings. I didn't realize he was following me at first, but it became obvious after a while, when he continued to fly wherever I went. I tried to shoot it down, but it got away—not unscathed, however, as you can see." He crossed his arms. "Mind you, I wasn't shooting to kill. I wanted to know where he had come from and why he was tailing me. Then I thought that maybe I shouldn't look any further than my wonderful, trustworthy ally." These words he spoke in an obviously mocking tone.

Dartz raised an eyebrow at him. "And why would you think that I would know anything about such a thing?" he asked. He was surprised at how much it actually hurt him now to call Alexander a "thing." Terms such as that and "creature" bothered him, after having let the doppelganger stay with him for so long. The thought of losing Alexander seemed unthinkable now. He had started to take for granted that the adoring, childlike entity would always be around, snuggling him and just basically wanting to love and be loved. Now for the first time, he was faced with the possibility of Alexander being dead. Even if Colchis had not been "shooting to kill," it may have happened anyway. Alexander could not feel physical pain, and therefore, he most likely would not realize if he was seriously wounded.

Colchis shrugged. "I don't know," he replied slowly. "Maybe simply the fact that it seems as though I've seen the creature in your window sometimes." It did not bother him to admit that he had been spying on Dartz. Now was as good a time as any to let him know that he was under suspicion. And anyway, it seemed as though his rebels had already revealed that much.

"Oh really," Dartz answered coldly. "Well, you must have been mistaken. Even if I had such an entity, I wouldn't be using it to follow you."

"Let's hope so, my friend," Colchis said smoothly. "Let's hope so. Though, such a thing would make a good pet, wouldn't you say?" He laughed wickedly as Dartz turned away, feeling a certain anger boil in his soul.

* * *

Kade was roaming happily around the summer home's grounds. Sapphire had thought it would be a good idea for him to be able to play outside, especially since the flowers and foliage on this high mountain peak were still unspoiled. It was one of the only locations in all of Juno where this was the case (as a few of the sun's rays still reached it), and it would probably not be that way for much longer. 

But of course Sapphire did not want her son to be out by himself, when the rebels were at large on the ground. At any time, they could decide to march up the mountain—though she did believe that they would wait a while before attacking again. If nothing else, they would need time to recover after their own injuries. And so Marik had volunteered to take Kade around the area for a while.

At this point, Kade had wandered ahead and around a corner to look at some of the flowers and the long grass, which he had not seen for what seemed like an eternity. As he walked along, he suddenly came upon a strange thing laying in the grass. He had never seen anything like it before, and now he hurried over to investigate further, his blue eyes wide with fascination. Quickly he plopped down, petting the softness and giggling softly. It felt so nice. . . .

"Kade?" he could hear Marik calling. "Where are you?"

He looked up. "I'm over here!" he smiled. "I found a birdie!"


	7. The Interlude

**Chapter Seven**

As Marik made his way to where Kade was, he was stunned to find the child kneeling next to a bizarre creature that was laying on its stomach in the grass. It looked like a human, but an angel wing and a demon wing were sprouting from its back. Marik also thought he could see a painful tear in the demon wing, but Kade was oblivious to that as he stroked the downy feathers of the other wing. The creature was motionless, but Marik could see the rise and fall of its torso as it softly breathed. Perhaps it had crashed to earth after its wing had been torn and had been rendered unconscious.

"He's sleeping," Kade told him. "What kind of birdie is he, Mister Marik?"

Marik shook his head as he came closer and knelt down as well. "I don't know," he answered, suddenly noticing how much the being resembled Alister. Suddenly he felt disturbed. "But you should be careful," he said now. "You don't know if it's friendly. It's hurt, so if it wakes up and sees you, it might not realize that you don't mean it any harm." He spoke gently, looking Kade in the eyes and hoping that the child would voluntarily back away from the strange thing. Neither of them had any way of knowing if it was vicious, and Marik had never seen such a creature before. Judging by Kade's fascination, he had not, either.

Kade blinked at him in confusion. "But why wouldn't he know?" he asked. "I'm not hurting him. And if he's hurt, shouldn't Mr. Doctor look at him?" He ran his hand over a deformation in the entity's angel wing, fascinated still more by this oddity and by the scar that stretched through a third of the appendage and to the deformed bone. This, he decided, must be what Marik had meant about the thing being hurt.

Marik smiled slightly. "Yes, he should," he said, though he was not certain if the physician would even know what to do for the torn wing. He supposed that it would just need to be sewn up, though, and even Ishizu would be able to do something like that. Of course, if the thing proved violent, then Marik would not want his sister to get anywhere near it.

Thinking of something that might finally get Kade away from it, Marik looked at him again. "Can you do me a big favor," he asked, "and go tell him?"

Kade grinned. "Sure!" he chirped, getting up to hurry back to the home. Marik watched him until he was safely inside, then turned his attention back to the creature.

When a wing abruptly fluttered, the Egyptian narrowed his eyes. He knew he would have to be on his guard. If it wanted to attack him, it would probably spring into action immediately upon awakening, unless it was too badly hurt. Perhaps something else had been injured besides the wing, but he could not depend upon that being the case. Slowly Marik pulled the Millennium Rod out of his belt. He hoped he would not have to use it, but he wanted to intimidate the thing at least.

Ice-blue eyes opened, taking time to focus on the scenery. Then, as Marik watched, the entity started to painstakingly sit up.

Quickly the tan-skinned boy pointed the Rod at it. "Who are you?" he demanded, narrowing his lavender eyes. _Hopefully,_ he thought, _it will be able to speak. It looks human, so. . . ._

The creature blinked at him curiously, then smiled brightly. "Hi!" it exclaimed in a soft male voice, revealing elongated canine teeth. He managed to sit up and then crossed his legs Indian-style on the grass. "I'm Alexander."

Marik was taken aback. Slowly he lowered the Rod. Apparently this odd being was not vicious in the least. He looked him over, raising an eyebrow as he noticed that this Alexander seemed oblivious to any pain that it seemed he would be in. Instead he continued to simply sit and stare at Marik. The Egyptian boy frowned. "Aren't you in pain?" he asked. "Your wing's torn."

Alexander tilted his head to the side. "It is?" he said vaguely. When Marik pointed to the demon wing, the boy turned to the left to look at it. He gazed at the tear, seeming fascinated, and then blinked as if he had remembered something. "Oh . . . Colchis shot me out of the sky," he said in a matter-of-fact way.

Now Marik noticed a bit of blood near the bottom of the angel wing as well, and he was about to comment when Alexander's statement made him blanch. "Colchis shot you!" he repeated in disbelief. "But why?" Suddenly he wondered if this thing would prove valuable to them. Ishizu, he knew, would probably say that Alexander was fated to fall down on this mountain. But now he worried, wondering if Colchis was on the mountain as well. Perhaps they were not safe at all.

"Because I was following him, and he knew it," Alexander nodded. "But I don't remember being over a mountain. . . . He shot me over a plain, and I flew for a bit longer to get away, and then I crashed and hit my head." He shuddered. "I blasted at him in self-defense, but I don't think he was hit. And I couldn't keep blasting because I was hit and I needed to save my strength." He then demonstrated by harmlessly shooting a beam of turquoise light from his hands.

Marik raised an eyebrow at the being, deciding to ignore the display for the present time. "You were following him? Why?" He watched as Alexander finally noticed that he was bleeding. The redhead again looked more enthralled than anything else. Marik wondered if Alexander was even in pain.

Alexander rocked back. "Because Dartz wanted me to," he said, as if it should be obvious. He wondered if Dartz was alright. Surely Colchis would not realize that they were associated. That was what Dartz had tried to ensure would not happen.

Marik stared, and was about to ask what connection this boy had with Dartz, when the doctor approached. But he was not alone. Alister was with him, regarding the scene with a deadpan gaze.

Immediately Alexander brightened and leaped up. Before anyone could stop him, he was glomping Alister, who tensed and grunted. Both Marik and the doctor gawked.

"Would someone like to explain this?" the Egyptian demanded.

"I'm his doppelganger," Alexander replied proudly. He was so excited to have finally been able to meet up with Alister again. It had been quite a while, at least in his mind, since they had last been together. He had not seen Alister since before they had journeyed to Juno, and he, Dartz, and the others had been there longer than Alister and Marik.

Marik found that he was not that surprised by the news. _Well,_ he thought dryly, _that explains the uncanny resemblance._ He crossed his arms, watching as Alister gently pried Alexander away. The other redhead surveyed the creature's injured wings and then let the doctor step forward. There was not any visible indication of what Alister was thinking, though he had not seemed astonished. Marik wondered if the older man truly was not.

The physician looked as though he was at a loss. He held up the demon wing, examining the tear, and then did the same with the angel wing. He blinked as he saw the deformity and the scar. Alexander merely stood there, letting the doctor look at him and appearing to wonder what all the fuss was about.

At last the man spoke.

"It looks like there aren't any permanent injuries, young . . . man," he finished after a hesitation. While it was true that Juno was populated by strange creatures, he had never treated any of them—and he had never seen one such as this. Of course, Alexander had proclaimed himself to be a doppelganger, and that was a mythical being that the physician had not even realized could be seen in the physical world. "How did this one happen?" He indicated the twisted bone.

Alexander smiled. "The Leviathan did it, but then I met Dartz and he helped me!" It did not bother him much anymore to discuss being attacked by the sea serpent, because he always remembered how he had been helped by Dartz after it had happened. That did not mean, however, that Alexander had come away from the experience completely unscathed. He still had his fears of small spaces and being alone.

As they started to head for the palace, the creature amiably walked along beside them. Marik was amazed and perhaps even slightly annoyed by his immense cheeriness. He wondered how anyone could truly be so happy. After all, he certainly did not find enough things in either dimension that could result in an adult behaving as a child. Of course, perhaps Alexander truly was a child.

Alister also often pondered over how Alexander could be so happy, but he was used to the other's ways by now. He looked at the boy, remembering that he could only rarely feel physical pain. "Is Dartz here?" he asked. Raphael, he knew, would not be pleased if that were the case. Not that Alister would be, but since Alexander adored the Atlantean, Alister was learning to "deal with it," as he often would flatly tell people to do. Dartz was around, and because of Alexander living with him, the man's path would cross with that of Alister's and his friends every so often.

Alexander nodded. "We came here not too long ago because we need to fix things," he answered. "This weird Egyptian brought us. But we didn't meet the Queen. We were supposed to work on our own, without her knowing that we're here." He shrugged, not understanding but not caring, either. He was sure that Dartz and Ironheart knew what they were doing, and that was good enough for him.

Marik looked at him incredulously. "Shadi brought you here?" He had to wonder why Shadi had done that, especially since he had then come to get Marik and the others. Though, he of course knew that their groups were small and that they would have a better chance of gaining victory by all working together—but Shadi had not even let them know that others had been brought before. Shadi, Marik knew, often seemed to have a secret agenda that no one else was allowed to know about. Ishizu got along well with him, as she was the same way, but Marik often became frustrated.

Alexander nodded. "I don't remember when he came," he said. "I don't really keep tracks of days and weeks. Chris would probably know."

Alister looked to him. "You haven't seen Valon, have you?" He supposed that he was just grasping at straws, but he was getting desperate. It had been hours since the battle and Valon's disappearance, and if he had been taken by the enemy, there was no telling what might be done to him. It made Alister furious just thinking about it.

Alexander bit his lip. "No," he said slowly. "Why? Is something wrong?" He did not get along well with Valon at all, and usually claimed that he did not like the Australian, but he knew that Alister cared about him. And that meant that Alexander had to make sure that Valon stayed safe, if he could.

Over the next few moments, as they arrived at the palace and as the doctor worked on sewing Alexander's wings, Alister and Marik explained about the battle and its aftermath. Alexander listened worriedly, wondering about Valon himself, and then started to be concerned again about Dartz. If Colchis had suspected at all that Dartz was connected with Alexander, then Dartz could very well have gotten into trouble. Alexander shuddered, wanting to go look for him, and yet not knowing if it would be safe for Dartz if he was to do so. It was a terrible predicament to be in.

* * *

Valon was lost in the fog over his mind. Everything seemed so strange, so surreal, as if it was all a dream and not really happening. He felt almost detached from his body, though he knew he was not. But he would hear disembodied voices all around him, speaking to him and smoothly trying to convince him of the betrayals he had experienced. He wanted to resist the voices, to tune them out, but he could not. He was not even able to see who was speaking. He only saw vague shadows and silhouettes when he tried, and then he would feel himself growing so tired . . . so very tired. Even when he slept, the voices would penetrate his dreams. 

Somewhere in his mind he wondered where he was and why Alister and Raphael did not make the voices be quiet. Maybe they were dead. . . . But no, the voices were talking about them . . . always about _them_. They had betrayed Valon, had they not? Why was he here if they were still his friends? Valon had seen them walking away from him when he had needed their help. He could try to deny it all he wished, but that could not change the truth.

Valon moaned, desperately trying to get up and failing. What he was being told was a lie! . . . Was it not? No, the memories were not real. . . . Alister had not walked past him! Raphael had not coldly turned away! It was all lies! It could not have happened. It could not have happened at all. . . .

_Come on, fellas . . . you wouldn't leave me, would you? You wouldn't do that to your chum. . . ._

"Yes, Valon, they left you. They don't care about you any longer. You've been rejected . . . again. You know it's true, but you just don't want to accept it. However, the sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to move on with your life. You live only for yourself, don't you? Maybe you'd like to take revenge on them for deserting you. It would certainly be understandable. After all, how dare they do that to you. You thought they were your friends, and yet they have turned against you. Don't let them get away with it!"

Valon struggled weakly, straining against the bindings holding him to the bed that he had been moved to. "Shut up," he hissed weakly, feeling sleep overtake him again. "Come on, just shut up. . . ." That was all he wanted, to be left in silence without the voices trying to force him to believe that his friends had turned against him. He moaned again, the images of them walking away burned into his mind. He did not realize it, but now he was quietly pleading for them not to leave. He wanted the voices to leave, but he did not want Alister and Raphael to go away. He never wanted that.

* * *

Dartz shook his head, observing as Valon slipped back into unconsciousness. What the rebels were doing to him was outrageous. Valon was going to end up emotionally scarred, disturbed, and angry by the time they were done. Of course, what Dartz had done in the past had caused him and the other two to suffer many of those feelings. But now he recognized what he had done and was frustrated when he saw other people behaving the same way as he had. He knew that they would come to regret it someday. 

What was also annoying was that this was disturbing his plans. He had not wanted to have any contact with any of his former warriors, and now such a situation was being thrust upon him without his permission. Now he would have to think about what to do, as he was still undecided.

It would take Valon a long time to heal from his injuries, and the rebels would have plenty of time to torment and brainwash him until then. But Dartz could never try to get him out of the hideout until he did heal. Then he could make it look like Valon had left of his own accord. Under no circumstances could he do anything that would link his name with Valon's disappearance. That was too dangerous. He could end up threatening the lives of his family if Colchis suspected that Dartz was working against him. And he could not let that happen.

He stood and crossed the room to look down at Valon, his golden-eyed gaze boring down upon the stubborn Australian. If he could just hold on and not give in to the lies they were feeding him, then perhaps everything would be alright. Dartz knew that Valon was trying desperately to resist it, or else he would not be telling the voices to "shut up." And yet at the same time, he was quite sure that Valon did not fully understand what was happening to him.

The doctor smirked, removing his hand from Valon's forehead. "Everything is going as planned," he purred. "By the time he's healed, I will have gotten to him." He looked extremely pleased, as if Valon was nothing more than a pet project and not a living, feeling human being. And Dartz was certain that it was true, that the man felt exactly that way. He could not tell whether the man was honestly interested in the rebellion or if he had only joined in order to have experiments to work on.

Dartz frowned. "It wouldn't be wise to underestimate a strong-willed young man such as him," he answered flatly, folding his arms. "He just might surprise you." He turned to give the man a sidelong glance. "What is your stake in this?" he asked. "Why do you want to turn him against his friends?" _And,_ he realized silently, _how does he even know anything about Valon or his friends? He's been calling them all by name._

The doctor smiled eerily. "Well, you heard what the rebels said," he answered, "and you don't seem the type to easily forget."

Dartz grunted. "Yes, I remember what they said," he retorted, "but I don't know if that is your reason for being involved." Upon not receiving an answer, he questioningly turned to completely face the other man. He was surprised to see a far-off look in the brown eyes.

Coming back to the present, the physician smiled in a rueful way and looked different from the maniacal being he had been moments before. "I don't have anywhere to go," he said finally. "I was injured a while back, during an attack from the Red Zealot, and this rebel group found me. They nursed me back to health, but I don't recall anything from before I woke up at their secret base." He leaned back, sighing quietly. "And so, I have been serving under Colchis with his rebels. It's the least I can do since they saved my life. You can understand not having anywhere to go, can't you?" Now it was his turn to study Dartz, looking into the endless golden orbs. "Colchis mentioned that you're a wanderer, too."

Dartz nodded slowly. "I am," he said. He looked down at Valon's senseless body as the teen shuddered. Then the Atlantean raised his gaze again to meet the doctor's. "However, is this how you truly want to spend your life? Young Valon is in the same predicament as you were when the rebels found you." Since the doctor had been using Valon's name, Dartz had determined that it would not seem suspicious for him to do so as well.

An ironic smirk now graced the doctor's features. "I know," he said quietly. "But I have this feeling that he would never serve us willingly. He didn't lose his memories, as I did." He had not directly answered Dartz's question, and they both realized it. Dartz decided to leave the matter be.

He did wish that there would be some way to turn the doctor to his side. Then they might be able to get Valon out of the way and back where he belonged before so much time went by. But Dartz did not think it seemed likely, and he knew that if he kept pushing matters, it would likely only make the other man suspicious. Then he might not be able to do anything at all in this situation.

He wondered what Chris and Ironheart were doing. He had instructed them that if at all possible, they should stay where they were. And, if Alexander did not come back and they wanted to look for him, they would have to be utterly cautious. Colchis might already be watching them both, for all Dartz would know. If they found Alexander, they would have to act as though they had never seen him before and that they wanted to help the poor, injured stranger. He hoped that Alexander would be able to understand enough of what was going on to play along.

As for himself, he determined that he would be staying where he was—at least for the time being. He wanted to keep his enemy—Colchis—close if he could.

* * *

Raphael lay in the soft bed, frustrated with his inability to get up. Alister had told him that he should rest for a little bit because of his injuries, especially since his leg had been badly cut. There was really nothing that they could do about Valon at the moment, the redhead had told him, and they should concentrate on getting well. If Valon had been taken by the rebels, they would not be in any condition to fight them. 

Raphael knew that was true, and he knew that it had taken a lot of strength for Alister to even say it at all. Though Alister said nothing of his inner feelings, Raphael could tell that he was highly distraught that their friend was gone. It was obvious from the turmoil in the younger man's gray eyes. Alister wanted more than anything to go to him, wherever he was, but he knew that they did not even know where to start looking. And that was tearing him up inside, even though it had only been a day.

Only? It seemed more like an eternity to Raphael. And yet it was true—the battle had taken place over twenty-four hours ago now.

He shifted position, glancing down blankly at the book on his lap. He could not concentrate. He had read the same page four times now, and each time he was done he did not have any idea what it was that he had read. In vexation he ran a hand over his face.

Alexander was in the summer home as well. His wings were not terribly damaged, but Alister had thought that the creature should wait a while before trying to fly. He seemed to only be a few years older than Kade, mentally, and they were off somewhere, sharing deep thoughts between their childlike minds.

Raphael had been stunned to see Alexander there, and even more so when Alister had explained how it had come about and had said that Dartz was in Juno as well. That was the last thing Raphael wanted to deal with now—his personal demons. He had thought that he would be able to leave them back home in Domino City, along with everything else they had left.

His thoughts turned to Liu. What would happen to his cat while they were gone? He had left her with an unwilling cousin Hilda, but he doubted that either of them would be very happy. He and the other two might be here for ages. Would they ever even get back?

Raphael felt a certain anger that they had to be there at all. He knew it was important and he wanted to save Juno, but he did not want to sacrifice a friend in order to do it. It was selfish, perhaps, but it was the way he felt. But of course, outwardly, he would do his duty and not let on how upset he was. He would be the first to say that they had to carry on. After all, if they did not, then Valon would suffer in vain. And Raphael would never want that.

He turned to gaze at the crystal that had been laid on the nightstand. It glimmered as it had always done, oblivious to the problems of those that possessed it. Raphael still had to wonder what it was supposed to do. Each of the three "family units," as Sapphire had called them, had received one. There had to be some significance in that fact.

Maybe it was that there were three crystals, just as there were three pieces of the Talisman. At any rate, that theory made the most sense of anything Raphael had tried to come up with so far.

He looked up as a sudden knock came to the door. "You can come in," he said, putting the book aside. He wondered who it was. Alister was not likely to knock, as they were close enough that they did not need such formalities. But he supposed it could be any of the others. None of the trio associated much with the Kaibas or the Ishtars.

The door opened slightly and Rishid looked in. "Pardon me, Mr. Laurent," he said quietly, "I was coming to see how you are faring." The Egyptian had a bandage on his forehead, but otherwise looked perfectly fine. His golden eyes, however, were filled with concern, as if he had learned something grave.

Raphael could not look into the eyes for very long. Other than Rishid, he only knew of one individual with golden eyes. It was a painful reminder. "I'm fine," he grunted. "Did you find anything out?" He wanted to ask specifically if Rishid knew anything about Valon, but he doubted it was likely. He both dreaded and wanted any such news, and he watched Rishid firmly for any hesitations in speaking that might indicate a tragedy had been uncovered.

Rishid looked back at him. "Mr. Volker received a visit from one of his . . . friends," he said slowly. "This friend said that he saw some of the rebels carrying a young man away with them. There was a tall, cloaked figure with them, and the friend tried to follow them for a while, but then they realized that it was happening and shot at him. He had to duck down to escape being hit, and when he arose again, he could not find them anywhere."

Raphael growled. "And so this person they were carrying was Valon," he stated, clenching part of the quilt.

Rishid nodded. "I'm afraid it's likely," he replied apologetically.

Raphael thought it over and then realized something else. "How would Volker's friend know where to come to find him?" he demanded. In this world, he did not know who to trust. Perhaps this friend was a spy from the enemy. And that was all they needed right now.

"He came and found the aftermath of the battle," Rishid explained, "and Mr. Volker told him to try to find out something about Valon. I was only informed of this just now, Mr. Laurent. . . . Apparently Mr. Volker did not want to tell anyone until he had some sort of news to report. He didn't want to get our hopes up."

Raphael nodded now, and suddenly realized how strange it was to hear someone address him as "Mr. Laurent" outside of work. He knew that Rishid always tried to be formal, and he respected that, but it still seemed odd. "What direction were they going?" he asked now.

Rishid sighed. "He said it was toward the forest," he answered. "That is one reason as to why they were able to get away and hide after shooting at him. He said that he would go back and try to pick up their trail, and Mr. Volker said that he would go with him." An unspoken thought hung in the air between them. _If they are found, hopefully Valon will be alright._ It was likely that he was alive, but Raphael had started to worry wondering if they were going to torture the Australian for information.

_With those kinds of people, anything is possible,_ he thought bitterly. And yet he could not help but think that he and the others had been rebels as well, when they had worked with Doom. Still, he did not think that any of them would have deliberately tortured someone in order to gain knowledge.

* * *

Kade and Alexander were in a soft, cushioned window seat in the library. As they gazed outside, they could see the other mountains as well—including the taller ones covered with snow. Every now and then a winter bird flew past, but for the most part the birds had left Juno. The animals in general were gone, searching for a place that was still lush and green. 

Kade giggled, petting Alexander's soft angel wing again. "So you're not a birdie?" he asked. It confused him because the creature looked like a human, but he had never seen a human with wings.

Alexander shook his head. "I'm a doppelganger," he said happily. "I'm Alister's doppelganger. That's why I look like him."

"That's neat!" Kade grinned, even though he did not know what a doppelganger was. "I wish we had dop'ganglers here. Then we could go flying!" He spread his arms out wide as a demonstration. He had always wanted to fly. It fascinated him, to watch the birds flutter past the palace and around the grounds. He hoped that they would return to Juno before long.

Alexander had a dreamy look in his eyes. "I love flying," he said softly. "It makes me feel so free. . . ." He hoped that he would not have to wait a long time to be able to fly again. At any rate, he doubted that it would take months, as it had when the Leviathan had attacked him and crushed part of the bone in the white wing.

Kade suddenly looked sad. "I wish that Juno could be free," he said, looking out the window again. "It used to be really pretty, and then something went all wrong. Now Mommy's really sick a lot and there's mean people causing trouble. . . ." Sometimes he wished that he and Sapphire still lived in the village, as they had before Sapphire had been abducted and then had reclaimed her throne. He still did not understand everything that had happened, or why, but palace life was so strange to him, especially when people would bow and want to help him with every little thing. He was not used to such treatment.

Alexander sighed. "I don't understand why people want to be mean," he mused. "It seems like some of them get a lot of happiness from hurting others." Being the innocent and pure creature that he is, Alexander only wanted to help the people he cared about. He was devoted to them and could not comprehend malicious behavior.

Kade looked down. "There were people like that here, and one of them hurt Mister Marik before. He almost died. . . ." He sniffled. Even though Marik had not died from his Yami's attack, Kade could not help remembering how it seemed that he had. It had frightened him and it had reminded him that his father had died years before. It made him sad to recall that he had lost the man, and also how sad his mother was. He knew she still missed him.

"I'm sorry. . . ." Alexander tilted his head to the side. "I wonder what it's like to die. . . ." He was still trying to determine how he felt about death. It still seemed to him that it was a beautiful thing, but he was learning now about how the deceased's loved ones would mourn. He wondered now if death was a bittersweet event. Perhaps there were both happy and sad things about it.

Kade blinked, looking up at him. He had wondered that too, and often. "I hope it doesn't hurt," he said softly. "My daddy died in a fire. . . ."

Alexander bit his lip. It sounded to him as though that would have hurt, but he did not think he should say so. And so he simply laid a hand on Kade's shoulder as they continued to sit there.

Marik, who was watching and listening, unnoticed by the others, smiled slightly and turned away. Alexander was still a bizarre creature, in Marik's mind, but he and Kade seemed to get along well. And that was fine with Marik. Kade needed more people that he could interact with easily. Since Kade was not afraid of Alexander, Marik doubted that he needed to worry. And Alister had assured Marik that the being was harmless.

The Egyptian narrowed his eyes, leaning against a pillar. He did have to wonder what had become of Valon, and he could more than understand Alister's and Raphael's distress. He had felt the same way when Ishizu and Rishid had been taken and brought to Juno. There had not been any way of knowing if they were alright, and every day until he had found them, he had suffered and wondered if they were dead.

Before he had wandered about the palace and had found Kade and Alexander, Ishizu had told him that she sensed great danger on the horizon. Marik did not doubt it. He was certain that it would not be long before the rebels attacked again.

Shaking his head, he went to check on Mokuba.


	8. The Escape

**Chapter Eight**

The weeks went by slowly, with the injured healing—at least physically. Raphael was able to get up and he began to walk about the marble home, working at getting his strength back. Alexander started flying around the areas that had cathedral ceilings. And Seto was recovering as well. He was studying every book about Juno that the library held. Of course, the library here was much smaller than the one at the main palace, but it was sufficient enough for Seto's purposes.

By this time he was extremely annoyed. He wanted all the more for Mokuba to get home, and yet he still had suspicions of what would happen if this war spilled into other parts of the world. It might work out that Mokuba would see just as much carnage whether he was home or here. And so Seto no longer knew what to do. The battle had left him with more mixed feelings than he would have thought possible.

Alexander had teleported back to the Atlanteans' temporary home several times, and in the process, he had learned the following.

Dartz had only been able to communicate with Chris and Ironheart twice, by attaching messages to indigenous, trained birds that were similar in behavior to pigeons but which looked much more extravagant—with brightly colored red, blue, and violet bodies, crests that curved over the head, and long, brilliant tails. (The creatures were usually kept in the wild, save for the exotic rich of Juno who wanted to keep them as show pieces, or to train them to deliver messages.)

The notes had been written in Atlantean, so that they could not be translated if they were intercepted. Dartz had said that he was safe, that Alexander needed to be found, and for them to not attempt to reply, as it was too dangerous. They should simply send the bird back, with a feather plucked from the flamboyant tail, and he would take that to mean that they received his message.

"We tried to look for you," Chris had told the creature as she had hugged him the first time he had come to visit, "but we couldn't find you anywhere! I was afraid that Colchis had taken you. . . ."

Alexander had been very sorry that Chris had had to worry about both him and Dartz, and he had held her close as he had apologized. He would not be able to visit them very often, and he could never come by way of flying, in case Colchis had spies lurking about. He would never want to do anything that would get them into trouble, and so he stayed away as much as he could, even though he longed to be able to spend more time with Chris.

Alister had taken to going on long walks as he looked for Valon. Often he ended up by the palace and would stand in front of it, his eyes sad, and remember when they had first arrived. The redhead was on such a walk now, and he clenched a fist angrily as he gazed at the partially-collapsed building. This was not fair. Valon had been fascinated by the large, marble abode, and he had enjoyed exploring it. And now he was not here. Alister did not want Valon to be gone, and especially not in a case like this, when they had no way of knowing where he was or what was being done to him. He wanted his friend back.

Raphael wished that he could go with Alister on his walks, but his leg was still tender and he knew that he would not make it very far. He had the feeling that Alister blamed himself for what happened to Valon. Alister believed that he was responsible for his younger brother's death. He had not been able to do anything then, and he could not help Valon during the recent battle. Alister had initially been conscious after the explosion, but he had not been able to find Valon before the next explosion had sent him flying and caused him to hit his head as he had gone down. Alister would not talk about his feelings, but Raphael knew he was angry with himself.

Marik spent the time mostly with Kade and Mokuba, when he was not with his siblings. He worried over what they were going to do, and sometimes he found himself sparring with Volker to train for future battles. Ishizu was worried about that, but she knew that another battle was imminent. And it was good to be prepared for it. She only hoped that Volker knew what he was doing.

As for Ishizu herself, she was spending a lot of time with Sapphire. The Queen's headaches were steadily growing worse, and Ishizu had noticed that as this happened, Juno's condition declined as well. She wondered how the Talisman alone could cause it all, even if it had its own mind. It seemed that someone would have to be controlling it. But Ishizu's Millennium Tauk revealed nothing about who such a person could be. Perhaps Colchis had gotten hold of the Talisman, since he had told her that he knew where it was.

Rishid spent hours studying Juno, as Seto was doing, and he was trying to formulate a battle strategy based on his findings. And yet it was next to impossible to determine where and how their enemies would strike. They needed to know specifically how these people operated, and they could not know without studying them for a long period of time—which they could not do. The rebels had successfully hidden themselves away—with Valon—and no matter how long search parties looked, they could never find any trace of the location.

Rishid was certain that the trouble Ishizu had foreseen was now close at hand. Juno rarely had natural light now, even through the clouds. The skies were mostly entirely dark as night even at noonday (whereas before it had appeared more as if a constant rainstorm threat was hovering over Juno), and only lightened up around sunset before fading away again shortly afterward. With so many hours of darkness, it was a perfect time for the rebels to strike again. He could only hope that Valon would not be numbered amongst them.

* * *

Colchis leaned back in his fancy, plush chair as he drank from a goblet filled with one of Juno's unique liquors. A slow smirk came over his features as he thought about the plans he had outlined in his mind. It was unfortunate that he still had not taken hold of the Talisman, but that would come soon. What he had told Ishizu was the truth—he _did_ know where it was. Now it was only a matter of determining how to obtain it. 

He supposed that a sacrifice would be necessary if he was to enter the chamber where the elusive piece was now residing. That had been how it was in the old days, and times surely had not changed that much. But it also could not be any random person who was offered. It would need to be someone strong-willed and independent, someone such as the boy whom Doctor Gunther had been torturing. And yet it would be a pity, to just have to destroy the teenager's life when his brainwashing was completed. He had been looking forward to seeing the results. Perhaps there would be another solution.

He raised his gaze to the door of his chamber as a knock came upon it. Curiously he sat up straight and set the goblet down on the desk. "What is it?" he called. It could be any number of things. The rebels might have completed the last exercise necessary and be ready to unleash their full fury upon the Queen and her small group of protectors. Perhaps Gunther was here to report his latest progress with the boy Valon, who was still healing but making a remarkably fast recovery. Or maybe Dartz had come to speak with him about something or another that he felt was important.

"It's Gunther, sir," came the reply.

Colchis smiled, pleased, and picked up his goblet once more. "Come in," he said calmly. Visits from Doctor Gunther were always enlightening. Not only was he tending to Valon's brainwashing, but he was attempting to gather information about Dartz as well. Colchis was still suspicious of him, and he hoped that soon he would have the final proof he needed to show that Dartz was not on his side.

The door opened and Gunther came in. He was an older man, or at least, he appeared older than Colchis. He was somewhat short, though not extremely so, he had a receding, red hairline, and he had piercing brown eyes that seemed to search one's soul. He gazed about the office for a moment before remembering to shut the door behind him. Colchis always wanted privacy when they conversed.

"It's been a few days, my friend." Gunther glanced to where Colchis was reclining in his chair again. The younger-looking man was smirking calmly, the way he often did—as if he knew something treacherous that no one else was aware of. "I trust you have something new and interesting to tell me?"

Gunther nodded as he walked over to the chair that he always occupied on these visits. Quickly he sat down, not waiting for Colchis's invitation to do so, as he had done in the past. He did not have time for formalities today. "I have information about Dartz," he declared as he leaned forward, his brown eyes narrowed and expressing the urgency of the matter.

Immediately Colchis perked up. "Oh? Has he finally started to openly display suspicious behavior?" He smirked. "Well, more suspicious than writing to his family in a strange, unknown tongue, and taking such an interest in Valon's progress, that is." Dartz had tried to divide his time evenly between all locations, and he had been successful enough in doing so, but Gunther had noticed Dartz's curiosity towards Valon and had considered it well on the way to being the damning evidence Colchis wanted. When Colchis had been told, he had concurred.

Gunther smiled in a satisfactory way. "Well, do you remember what I mentioned weeks ago about how he asked me why I was doing that to Valon?"

Colchis nodded. "Of course. That isn't something easily forgotten, especially since you weaved that story about you losing your memories and being rescued by the rebels." He continued to smirk. "That was quite a clever tale, though I still wonder if he actually believed you."

Gunther laughed. "I think he does," he answered. "At least, he hasn't shown any signs to the contrary. He's occasionally asked me other things, such as if I ever think that I might have a family somewhere and if they would be happy with what I'm doing. It almost sounds like he's trying to get me to change my mind about doing this to Valon, though of course it could just be idle curiosity. After all, if he's been a wanderer for a long time, as he has claimed, he must have seen many different kinds of people. Maybe he thinks he knows how to get into everyone's minds."

Colchis finished his drink and placed the empty glass on the desk. "Maybe he does," he agreed. "He seems to believe that he knows all about me, after all, and once he told me that old myth about the dragon Fafnir. It was almost as if he was hinting that he thinks I'm just as greedy and power-hungry as my brother."

Gunther smirked. "Well, aren't you, if not more so?"

"Much more so," Colchis smiled, "and more clever as well." He laced his fingers. "So, tell me, what actually is it that Dartz has said or done now?"

Gunther leaned back. "I happened to tell him that I'm almost done with my work on Valon. He's a changed boy, really. He was so terribly confused that he didn't know what to believe, but now when I remind him about how his friends 'abandoned' him, he becomes incensed and talks about how much he hates them. Anyway, Dartz then asked me how he was healing, and I told him that he's seen for himself that Valon is up and around for short periods of time. His wounds don't hinder him much anymore, and especially not when he's fired up with his anger and mental pain."

Colchis nodded thoughtfully. "Is it possible that he may try to help Valon escape so that we can't use him for our intended purposes?" he asked. He was positive that Dartz knew the boy from somewhere, even though he did not have the proof of that. But proof was not needed, not when Colchis could simply look into Dartz's eyes and see the knowledge there. And it was not a secret that Dartz disapproved of what they were doing. Even if he did not know Valon previously, it seemed likely that he wanted to help him get away.

"It's very possible," Gunther confirmed. "I really wouldn't be surprised at all. Should I set things up so that he won't succeed, if he tries?"

Colchis weighed the situation in his mind before replying. "No, let him get away with it . . . at first," he said then, smiling in a devious way. "I want to see just how well he's thought this through. He's an intelligent man, after all, and maybe even my equal in years. Who knows. But I do hope that my faith in the greatness of his mind isn't misplaced. Consider this . . . a test. An IQ test, a test of skills, and a test of my own ability to predict things about people." Colchis was truly quite undisturbed by the whole matter. He had been wary of Dartz almost from the start, and he would greatly enjoy the chance to see if his theories could be proven true. This was mostly a game to him—another game on the pathway of making himself Juno's most powerful being.

Gunther nodded now. "It will be as you've said," he declared, "but surely we aren't to let Valon actually escape?" He looked at Colchis incredulously. He had worked hard to corrupt and confuse Valon's mind, and he did not intend to let it go to waste. If Colchis did not care about that, Gunther would see that he personally succeeded in getting Valon back—even if it meant going against Colchis's wishes.

"Of course not," Colchis answered calmly. "There will be people stationed around to capture him, if indeed he does try to run off. He won't be any match for the rebels, not when his wounds are still healing." He stood up and went to retrieve the bottle of wine, which was sitting in a bucket of ice near the corner. "Would you care to join me?" He looked at the date on the bottle. "This came from a very good year."

Gunther shook his head. "I should get back to my patient," he replied, standing up. But then, thinking of something else, he looked back. "If all takes place as you believe, what will you do with Dartz?"

Colchis popped the cork and poured himself another gobletful of wine. "Well," he said slowly and precisely, "no matter how great of a mind he has, if he's a threat, he must be eliminated. However . . . it should be when he least expects it." He held up the glass. "A toast to our friend Dartz. May he live long and prosper." Then he smirked, laughing quietly to himself as Gunther excused himself from the room.

* * *

Alister was still wandering through the remains of the royal palace. He kicked aside a small piece of marble and watched it skid ahead of him across the tiled floor before at last coming to a stop outside the throne room door. He glared coldly at it as he walked over to the room and looked inside. Normally he would not have ventured into the building when the rest of it could collapse at any moment, but there was something that he needed to see. He remembered the tiles in the throne room that reflected things that were happening in Juno. If they still functioned, he wanted to see if Valon was shown in any of them. 

The chamber looked deserted as Alister gazed into it, and as he slowly stepped inside he could see that it looked as though the tiles were now blank. With a frown he advanced further, gazing down at the black and white squares and silently willing them to show him where his friend was. It was not that much to ask for, was it? They could show him Valon's location. They were capable of it.

Then he caught sight of one that was still flickering. Feeling a burst of hope rising within his heart, he hurried over to it and then stopped, seeing that it was merely showing what some of the villagers near the palace were doing. It was interesting enough, but irrelevant to what Alister wanted. He looked away, disheartened and frustrated.

He remained in the room for some time, checking all the tiles and repeatedly returning to the only one that was still working—but it was always still depicting what was happening with those particular villagers. Alister knew that he would not find the answers he wanted here. After casting a last look back at the unhelpful panel, he turned and slowly walked toward the area that had been blown apart by the explosions.

Many thoughts roamed through his mind as he went—angry, bitter, confused thoughts. Why had this been allowed to happen to Valon? He did not deserve it. Alister was uncertain of exactly what he believed about God, but it seemed to him that God should be watching over Juno as much as any other part of the world. Of course, he had also always been taught that humans had to do their parts. God would not do everything for them, because if He did, they would never grow. But still . . . no one had been able to help Valon. Could God have not done something for him, when no one else had been there?

Alister slowly sank down onto a fallen pillar once he reached the outside again. He leaned forward, running his hands through his bangs. Over and over he saw Valon's agonized, bloodied body laying on the grass. In his mind he could hear Valon weakly calling for help, but there was not anyone who could come. It haunted him to no end. He had nightmares about it every night since this had happened, but he had not told Raphael. He did not feel that there would be any point. Raphael was upset too, after all, and Alister felt that telling him about his bad dreams would be insensitive and selfish.

"Why?" he whispered, gazing down blankly at the grass. "I don't understand . . . why?" Suddenly overcome by his anger, he looked up at the sky and let out a pained scream—releasing some of his frustration, his anguish, and his hatred. He had no idea where Valon was, and he could do nothing to help him. He had been praying desperately for some sort of guidance to lead him to where his friend was, but he had not received anything. This made him wonder if Valon was dead. The thought pierced his heart, and yet . . . death was sweeter than many of the things that could be happening.

If Valon was still alive, maybe he was angry with Alister and Raphael. Maybe he blamed them for his misery. The rebels could be torturing and mutilating him. Maybe he was suffering so terribly that he wished he was dead. He might never be the same as he once was.

Alister clenched his fists tightly, eventually drawing blood, and leaned forward on the pillar again. His shoulders shook as he wept for one of the only times in his life since Miruko's death.

* * *

Chris paced the floor nervously, unable to sit still. With Juno's decreasing condition, it seemed obvious that it would not last much longer unless something was done. And it seemed that she and Ironheart had not been able to do anything at all except sit and wait. 

"Grandfather, there has to be something we can do!" she exclaimed in despair as she looked to where Ironheart was going through one of the volumes he had looked over many times before. "Maybe if we go to where Alexander is staying . . ." But then she trailed off, knowing that they could not. If Colchis was, indeed, spying on them, then they would lead him right to where the Queen was—not that he did not already know. He was probably biding his time until he felt that they should attack again. Chris did have to wonder exactly what he was waiting for, if that was the case.

Ironheart sighed, looking up from his book. "Your father is doing all he can," he replied, "and we can't do anything that might jeopardize his actions, as you know, Chris." He leaned back, a thoughtful expression coming over his eyes. "But those crystals that Alexander told us about have been bothering me. I'm almost certain that I read something in one of these books about crystals, and now I can't remember which one it was. I've been reading so many." There was not much else for Ironheart to do, save for tending his small garden, and so he read all the various books that he could find, hoping for some clues to help them solve their problems. So far he had not had much luck.

Chris perked up. "Maybe I could help look," she suggested, coming over to him. Skye, who was laying on the floor by the desk, looked up as she came over. Gently she petted his head.

Ironheart smiled. "That would help," he agreed. "If we could learn what those crystals are supposed to do, that would be useful to the ones that Alexander is staying with. It's possible that they need to engage in some sort of special training in order to get the crystals to do what they are meant for." He could only hope that the crystals were not in any way similar to the Orichalcos. He supposed that if anything in Juno was, it would be the missing Talisman. That blasted thing was at the root of all their problems. He knew that eventually it would have to be destroyed.

Chris nodded, reaching for another book on the shelf. This was liable to take a long time, she knew, but it was better than simply sitting around and waiting for something to happen. She liked to be able to feel useful.

* * *

Valon sat up shakily on the bed, running his hand slowly over the scar on his chest. Gunther had not been able to promise that the mark would not remain, but Valon was certain that it was fading. And anyway, it did not matter that much to him. He reached for his shirt. 

He was not certain what he would do now. Mixed feelings still surged through his heart, most especially of betrayal and emotional pain. His friends had abandoned him. They had left him to die when Valon had believed that they would stand by him through anything. Again and again the unwelcome images played through his mind. He was laying badly hurt after being speared, and he had called desperately for help. Alister had looked at him and then had walked on, his expression the same emotionless mask that had frustrated Valon so many times before.

And yet . . . it did not change the fact that Alister—and Raphael—would gladly sacrifice their lives for Valon. Such things had happened in the past, and Valon had tried to protect them, too. Now the Australian could not believe that all of those experiences suddenly did not matter. How could he truly have been abandoned? It did not make sense! They would not abandon him when they wanted so badly to preserve his life.

Shaking, he leaned forward and dug his fingers through his thick hair and against his scalp. Maybe he was insane. Maybe it was the memories of self-sacrifice that he was not remembering correctly. Maybe they had never been his friends. Maybe he had never even known them! But then . . . why were the voices insisting that Alister and Raphael had been his friends and now had betrayed him?

Enraged suddenly, he leaped up and lunged at the wall, punching it fiercely. Chips of plaster and splinters of wood went flying, but he ignored them. Instead he remained there, shuddering and not removing his fist from the wall. The voices had never left him. Even now, they were still tormenting him. No matter how many times he told them to shut up, they refused. That must surely mean insanity! Sane people did not repeatedly hear voices in their heads.

He leaned forward, resting his forehead against the wall and shutting his eyes tightly. "No," he whispered weakly. "Shut up. . . . Stop trying to turn me against them. . . . They're all I've got." There was still a part of him that was struggling desperately to hold on to the truth, even though Valon often felt that he was steadily losing that side of himself. The false, hallucinated memories that he had been given were etched strongly in his mind, and when he thought of them he would become furious. But whether he was furious at Alister and Raphael, himself, or the voices, he did not know.

"_Come, Valon, you know that you are alone. The longer you deny it, the more miserable you will become. You mean nothing to either of them, or they wouldn't have left you and allowed us to take you. Accept that you have a new home now, and a new mission—if you want to get revenge on them for leaving you."_

Slowly Valon sank to the floor on his knees. "No . . . no," he moaned. "They didn't leave me . . . I don't wanna get revenge. . . . I just wanna know what the heck's wrong with me!" Tightly he gripped at the knees of his pants as he slumped forward again, his eyes still firmly shut. "Why am I seeing these things! How come I've got voices in my head that're telling me that I'm alone!"

"_Because you are. You're not insane for what you're seeing and hearing. You want to believe that it's all in your mind, but it isn't. You don't have anyone! All you can do is stay where you are now and embrace your new home."_

A new wave of indignation came over Valon and he struggled to stand up again. His blue eyes were open now, and filled with an anger that most people would pray to never see. He looked around wildly, searching for a weapon of some kind that he could use, and then noticed a long pole. Immediately he snatched it up and began to circle the room, looking for the person who was always interfering with Valon's thoughts. If he was not insane, that it was not simply a random voice he heard in his head—it would have to belong to someone. And when he found out who it was, there would not be a place on earth that would hide the culprit from his wrath.

(He heard Gunther's voice in his mind differently than when Gunther was talking to him while he was conscious, which is why he did not make the connection. What was more, the rebels had talked to him as well, and he heard all of their voices in his mind in addition to Gunther's.)

As he swung the pole around in a violent manner, at least trying to release some of his anger if nothing else, a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed hold of the end of it. Valon turned to glare, seeing nothing but a vague silhouette in the shadows of the room. "Who's there?" he demanded, tugging harshly on the pole. "Come on, let go already!" He did not appreciate having his weapon grabbed without warning, especially when he was already in a bad mood. The culprit was asking for trouble.

"You're going to hurt someone with that if you aren't careful," came the flat reply in an accented voice. As Valon watched, a tall, cloaked figure stepped into the light. He could not see the person's face due to the hood that had been pulled up, and this only made him all the more irritated. But at least he was certain that this voice was not any of those that he had heard in his mind.

"Yeah?" Valon snapped, glaring at the darkness of the shadows cast by the hood. "Well, that's kinda the idea, mate!"

"So I gathered." The man still did not let go of the pole and instead continued to study Valon. "You must be very angry with someone."

It frustrated Valon that he recognized the voice and yet could not match it with a specific person. It sounded different, somehow, from when he had heard it before. "'Course I'm angry!" He did not let go of the pole either. Being as stubborn as he is, he did not want to be the first to release it. "Some idiot keeps talkin' in my head!"

"I hope you realize how that will sound to most people." At last the stranger took his hand from the rod, apparently trusting Valon to not aim it at him.

Valon continued to watch him suspiciously as he finally set the staff down on its end and leaned on it. "It's not like they can take me and lock me in the funny farm," he retorted. "The doctor here's a quack himself!" He wondered why this person felt the need to hide behind the hooded cloak. In a way, it seemed as if he recalled this man from the past . . . from when he had first been taken by these people. Perhaps that was why he wanted to conceal his face. Valon glared. "And who the heck are you, anyway? You're probably one of 'em!"

"Perhaps. Perhaps I'm just an observer. I don't know why I'd have any interest in tormenting you." He started to circle Valon slowly, much to the boy's displeasure. Then he spoke again, in much quieter tones. "You want to leave here, don't you?"

Valon refused to relinquish the pole, instead gripping it even tighter. His knuckles went white. "What's it to you?" he said defensively. "And anyway, isn't the answer kinda obvious? What's there for me here?" He slammed the end of the rod down on the floor. "Tell me that, mate! What've I got to keep me here?"

The man paused in his circling and looked at him. "Well, according to the voices in your head, you have revenge," he said dryly, "if you're into that sort of thing."

"Aw, to heck with revenge!" Valon yelled, his eyes flashing. "I want some answers, and I want 'em now! I wanna know why I'm having memories of my best friends turning against me! I wanna know why those voices in my head won't shut up about it!" He turned the pole horizontally and aimed it at the stranger's chest. "And I wanna know why _you_ know about the voices!" As far as he was concerned, anyone connected with the voices was an enemy. He did not trust this person, especially not when the man felt that he could not reveal his identity.

Wild thoughts were going through Valon's mind. He wanted to get out of there, no matter what the cost. Perhaps he could overpower this person and run out the nearest exit. The only way he would ever find the answers would be to go back to his friends and demand the truth. And if he found those belonging to the voices along the way, he would be more than happy to beat them up as well. He would not stand for being manipulated.

"I know because I was here," came the reply. "It doesn't mean I supported what they were doing to you. I just happened to be here while they were doing it." He lowered his voice even more. "If you really want to escape, the best way out is by going out of this room, down the corridor, and through the window at the end."

Valon's expression never lightened. "Yeah? I know there's a window down there. But there's also guards, twenty-four seven!" And naturally he was not afraid of the guards. The problem was that he was certain that they were just waiting for him to leave, and he would be walking into a trap. Then he still would not be able to get out. He hated the guards, he hated the voices, and he hated this place in general. It reminded too much of when he had been in prison and the people there had tried to get him to do whatever they wanted.

"The guards have been . . . taken care of." The man looked down at him. "Go see for yourself."

Valon slowly backed up, not wanting to take his gaze away from the mysterious person, and cracked the door open. He stared in shock at the sight of the men all laying lifeless on the floor. Had this one man done all of that? If so, why? Valon looked back up at him questioningly.

"Don't bother asking questions," the being snapped curtly. "They were all knocked unconscious by you in your fury and haste to leave." He paused. "Just as I was."

Valon stared at him. His meaning was quite clear. "You're saying you want me to hurt you!" he said in disbelief. The boy frowned suspiciously. "Then you'll just turn around and yell for help 'cause of me attacking."

The man overturned several tables, making an enormous clatter and sending many instruments and books to the floor. "Hit me," he said coldly, his voice now a whisper. "I can't have them knowing I helped you. It has to look as though you simply lost control of yourself and attacked anyone in sight in your quest for freedom." He eyed Valon and the pole he was still holding. "And really, that shouldn't be too hard for anyone to believe."

Valon's eyes narrowed. This was all very strange and nonsensical to him. Why would this person help him? It did not seem to him that there would be any reason for it. People hardly ever helped anyone other than themselves. And most of the time they could not even do that very well. "Why're you doing this?" he wanted to know.

"To be perfectly honest, you're in my way," was the flat reply. "Now hit me."

Valon knew there was not any time to argue. If this person wanted Valon out of his way so badly, then Valon would be happy to comply. He gritted his teeth and reached up into the shadows of the hood, striking approximately where he believed the person's cheek would be.

The man stumbled back, crashing into the items on the floor and purposely dragging another table down with him as he lost his balance. "Now go, Valon!" he ordered, looking back up at him. Valon caught sight of a golden eye, but nothing more.

And he did not need to be told again. Holding on to the pole, he ran out of the room and down the hall, just as more guards were arriving. He let out a loud cry, slamming the rod lengthwise against some of them while punching others with his fist and then breaking the window. Glass flew in every direction and shattered on the floor, but there was not any moon or starlight to shine on the pieces. Valon did not care. He leaped through the broken pane and became one with the night.


	9. The Reunion

**Chapter Nine**

Marik stood his ground, clutching the blunt, wooden pole with which he was using to spar. Across the grounds from him was Volker, also holding a pole and brushing his damp black hair away from his brown eyes. Marik could see the determination flashing in those eyes, and he could feel a similar burning in his own heart. They both had to train in order to become better. The next time the rebels attacked, it would not merely be a practice battle—it would be with the intention of killing all in their way. And Marik would not let that happen.

It was completely dark all around them, though even under more normal conditions that would be the case—as it was very, very early in the morning—around four A.M. Neither of them had been able to sleep, so they had decided to have a short bout instead. They had lighted the lamps around the grounds in order to see what they were doing and then had begun. The summer palace was soundproof, so those attempting to sleep inside would not be disturbed.

"So," Marik said as he took a deep breath and lunged again, "your friends still haven't found anything yet, have they?" He grunted as Volker clanked his staff against Marik's. Both of them strained, each trying to knock the other off his feet. "They've been searching those forests for months!" And Marik could not help but think that if Adelpha was still alive, she would have been able to find the rebels' hiding place. She had spent many hours in the forests of Juno, simply reveling in their quiet beauty and becoming acquainted with how they were laid out. Somehow Marik doubted that Volker's friends had done the same.

Volker threw all of his weight forward, hearing the rods scraping against each other as they had done many times over the course of the session. "They have not," he replied, his eyes showing his regret. "They have tried, and you know it yourself, as you and I both went with them several times. Wherever the rebels have found to hide, it's almost as if the forest itself is helping to conceal them." And he did not understand it one bit. It seemed to him that they should be able to learn _something _about where they had gone, especially when they had taken Valon with them. But there had been nothing at all.

Marik refused to give up. Volker had won the previous two battles between them, and Marik believed that he had to win as well. If he could not beat Volker, then it was not likely that he would be able to stay alive fighting against any of the rebels. He strained harder, pushing against Volker with all of his might. "They couldn't just disappear into thin air!" he cried in frustration. "And what could they even want with Valon?"

Volker looked deep into Marik's eyes, his own orbs flashing seriously. "I don't know," he said. "I was thinking that they probably wanted to barter, using him, but there are . . . other possibilities."

Marik suddenly received a burst of strength and shoved hard, stunning Volker and sending him falling back to the grass. Then the Egyptian boy approached and stood over him, pointing the pole down at his chest. "What other possibilities?" he demanded. He knew that it had seemed as though Volker had been keeping something from them ever since Valon had been taken. Volker had often seemed rather nervous and edgy when people would ask him what the purpose could have been in taking Valon or if it had simply been a random capture. He would assure them that it had not been random but then would not offer many explanations as to why it had happened. Marik knew that Raphael and Alister were getting vexed, and he was as well.

Volker gazed up at Marik, momentarily startled at having been beaten, and then he smirked calmly, pushing the rod away from him as he started to sit up. "Good round," he congratulated, reaching for his own staff from where it had fallen on the soft green grass that now only grew on the mountain where they were.

Marik nodded curtly in agreement. "Answer the question," he snapped. "I know you've been hiding something from all of us, and we have a right to know what Valon might have gotten himself into. Alister and Raphael are going insane with worry!"

"All the more reason not to tell them, then," Volker answered. "They will only worry more and not be able to do anything for him." He started to stand, using his pole to steady himself as he did so.

"Why can't they?" Marik wanted to know. Using the side of the staff, he shot out and knocked Volker back down again. Ishizu would likely disapprove if she saw this, but Marik made sure that he did not hurt the raven-haired man. He wanted answers that were their right to have, and Volker was refusing to let them know. This made him angry. He wanted Volker to see that he was serious on the subject.

Volker made a surprised grunt as he fell back onto the grass. He narrowed his eyes as he looked up at Marik. "They may have taken him into Geates' Tomb," he said at last, his tone dark.

Marik simply stared at him in disbelief, not certain whether to panic or laugh. "What would they do with him in there?" he exclaimed then. Then as an afterthought he also wanted to know where it was.

Volker sighed quietly. "The exact location is unknown," he said apologetically. "But it's supposed to be in a cave somewhere in the forest. Geates is buried there, and there have been rumors that a dragon guards the area. My friend, who has often ventured into the woods, has said that some people believe that they must sacrifice some poor soul every year to keep the dragon appeased." He looked up firmly at Marik. "Others have mentioned a treasure that the beast guards. I have entertained the thought—quite frequently—that the Talisman may be operating from within the cave."

Marik's expression only darkened. "You didn't tell any of this before!" he cried indignantly. "It could have been useful! We've been looking all over for the Talisman, as well as for Valon!" Honestly, he often had a terrible time determining whether Volker was friend or foe. It seemed that he withheld too much information to be a true ally, and yet the chances of him relaying the knowledge to their enemies was not great either. Marik knew that Volker had been fighting with him and the others against the rebel attack. But still, none of this was making him look good. And all of it was making Marik furious.

Volker held up a hand for silence. "Just listen to me," he said insistently, and Marik quieted, glaring in an expectant manner. The vigilante slowly pulled himself to his feet, speaking to Marik once again. "Queen Sapphire does know about these things," he informed the stunned boy. "I told her several weeks ago about the possibility of the Talisman having gone back to the tomb. When we have gone out looking for the rebels' hideout and Valon, we have also been looking for the tomb. But unfortunately, we have not had any luck with any of it." He leaned on his pole now. "The chances of us finding any of those locations are diminishing."

Marik cursed in frustration in his mind. Aloud he said, "Well, aside from any of that, what in Heaven's name do they even want with Valon, if they planned to take him in there?" He had a sinking feeling about the entire matter, and he intended to go right to Sapphire as soon as she was awake and demand answers from her. All of this seemed so wrong. Why would she have agreed to not let any of the supposed rescuers of Juno know about these things? Should they not be in on such secrets? How would they try to save Juno if they did not understand everything that was going on in the land?

Volker ran a hand through his dark locks. "If you want me to be honest, they might have wanted him as a sacrifice so that they could get to the treasures hidden within the dragon's lair." And he did not have to say that if that was true, it was not likely at all that Valon was still alive. If there truly was a dragon in that cave, Volker was sure that it would have made certain of Valon's death.

Marik slammed the end of his own rod into the ground. "I can't go to Raphael and Alister and tell them that their friend was probably killed by a dragon!" he yelled in anger. "Maybe that didn't even happen anyway!" A new thought had suddenly occurred to him and he looked Volker sharply in the eyes. "If they had taken treasure from that cave, wouldn't they have done something with it by now? If they took the _Talisman_ from the cave, wouldn't Juno be in even worse shape than it is?" He gripped the stick tightly, his knuckles going white. "I don't think he's dead, Volker. At least, not like that."

Volker turned to go inside the marble fortress. "You may be right," he said quietly, "and for your friends' sakes, I hope you are." Marik's argument did make sense to him. He had to admit that. Perhaps the entire tale about the tomb was incorrect. And even if it held some portion of truth, perhaps the rebels were not interested in it and had not tried to use Valon to get into the crypt. Valon could very well be alive, somewhere. Volker understood that he was a fighter who would not go down easily.

Marik sighed and let him go, feeling even more confused than he had before they had begun sparring. Sapphire, he hoped, would tell him more than he had learned here and help him fit the pieces all together.

* * *

Valon ran blindly through the forests, the metal pole still tightly clutched in his hands as the low-hanging branches of trees slapped him repeatedly on the back and on his face. He did not know how long he had been running, but the many footsteps that he had heard behind him had faded away some time ago. It seemed that he had managed to outrun the guards—or else they merely did not want to bother chasing after him in the dark. Perhaps they believed that they could always catch him later. And that was fine with Valon. If and when they came after him again, he would show them that they would not be able to take him. He would remain free. 

A well-placed tree root in his path suddenly sent him crashing to the forest floor with a yelp of surprise. As he went down, he instinctively held out the pole vertically to brace his fall. But the landing was still rather unpleasant, and he lay where he was for a moment, recovering and muttering angrily to himself. It was so hard to see where he was going when it was almost entirely dark. In the thick woods the only true lights came from congregations of fireflies—and from the occasional pixie that was still out playing despite the late—or early—hour. Valon was grateful for such guides, though he wished that they would stay around more constantly than they did. He supposed that his wild running scared them somewhat.

Slowly the brunette pulled himself into a sitting position and he leaned against the tree that had tripped him, sighing quietly to himself. He still wanted answers for what was going on. He wanted them more than ever now that he was finally on his way to being able to obtain them, and yet in another way he dreaded what he would discover. The voices were all so insistent, after all. What if . . . what if they were speaking the truth? Valon felt his heart clench as the induced memories flashed through his mind.

"No," he whispered, shutting his eyes tightly as he tried to block out the sight of Alister walking away from him. "No . . . it's not true. . . . It can't be true. . . ." And then he saw Raphael looking at him coldly before leaving as well. They had both seen him laying near-death and neither of them had cared enough to help him! Valon saw this play out every single day in his mind, all while hearing the voices as they told him how alone he was. He did not have anyone who cared. He had always been a loner. That was how he had lived and it was how he would die—all alone, with no one to care about him. His only friends had deserted him.

Enraged, Valon punched the green ground with a shaking fist. This simply could not happen. It could not be true. There had to be a mistake somehow. Alister and Raphael would never truly leave him, would they? Perhaps he had been delirious and had only believed that he had seen them walk away when he had been dying. He knew that he had been very ill for some time. Delirium would make sense—a lot more of it than simply thinking that his family had not wanted him any longer.

"_But that happened to you once before, didn't it, Valon? Your family didn't want you and they gave you up. They sold you."_

"Shut up," Valon hissed, shuddering as the painful memories from his childhood surfaced in his mind once more. He saw and felt his father beating him. His mother had sometimes joined in as well, throwing her high-heeled pumps at his innocent body when she had become incensed with him about one thing or another. He saw them both dragging him into what was supposed to be some sort of adoption agency and then leaving him on the floor, bleeding, while they collected their money. And he had soon discovered that instead of an adoption agency, he had been sold to a child slave camp. He had only barely been able to escape from there.

"It's not the same," the Australian said now. He did not realize it, but he was rocking back and forth slowly. Various nocturnal animals and creatures were watching him, fascinated and confused by this strange human who had dropped into their midst. If Valon had seen them gazing at him, it would not have made any difference.

"It's not the same!" he yelled again, looking up with flashing blue eyes. His voice was strained, reflecting the emotional torment he was suffering at this point. "My parents never did care about me! They always hated me!" He looked down again, staring blankly at the grass. "But . . . Alister and Raph cared. . . . They cared about me. . . . They really cared. . . ." And the thought that they ever would not care hurt more than the spear that Valon had been attacked with during that battle. The time before that had happened seemed so long ago now. So very long ago. . . .

Valon remained where he was for a while longer before slowly pulling himself to his feet again and taking his leave. It was a long walk through the forest, and he could not afford to loiter about believing that the rebels would not ever give chase. If he let his guard down, then they would find him. And he had to find his friends first and find out what was going on. He had to know the truth for a certainty. He was tired of slowly being driven insane.

* * *

Colchis walked slowly and meticulously around Dartz, letting the displeasure in his eyes be obvious. "So," he said quietly, "you are saying that this boy Valon became incensed and picked up the metal pole that has been laying around. Then he went on a rampage, fought with you and knocked you unconscious, and then ran down the hall as he attacked the guards?" He paused and looked into Dartz's golden eyes. 

Dartz looked back calmly. "Yes." His cheek was red where Valon had struck him, and there were various cuts and bruises over his body. It seemed obvious that he had been attacked. "I tried to stop him, Colchis, but his anger had overpowered his reason. It seems to me that your Doctor Gunther has created a monster."

Colchis gave a noncommittal shrug. "And maybe he has," he agreed. "But I would like to know, Dartz, what were you doing in the laboratory in the first place?"

Dartz grunted, brushing some of his frazzled mint bangs away from his face. "I heard a disturbance and went to see what had caused it," he replied. "I found Valon knocking everything over in the lab, fury in his eyes as he clutched the rod. I tried to reason with him, but he lunged at me. We fought for a time, and then he overpowered me. That's the last thing I remember." He reached to rub at a bump on the back of his head. The injury was real, but he had sustained it by crashing into the table and not by Valon hitting him with the pole.

"Hmm." Colchis nodded, his wary expression beginning to disperse. "That certainly sounds logical alright. And you are definitely . . . banged up, as Valon himself would say."

Dartz narrowed his eyes at him. "Are you suggesting that I might be lying?" he demanded. "It's not a secret that you have been suspicious of me for quite a while now, Colchis, but I still don't understand where you are getting such ideas. I haven't done anything that should cause you to be so overly concerned about my loyalty."

Colchis relented. "No, I suppose not." He turned, his cape whipping about as he did so. "But still it seems strange that Valon would suddenly go on a rampage now. He was perfectly fine not that long ago, according to Gunther. The boy was confused, but fine."

"People can snap without any prior warning," Dartz answered. He knew that Colchis did not believe him, and he was quite certain that Colchis knew that he knew. They were playing an unspoken game of deceit, attempting to see how well they each knew the other's mind. This was not exactly what Dartz had planned to happen, but it was not truly a surprise, either. "But as far as that goes," the Atlantean continued, "I would say that his immense confusion—and his frustration over his friends 'betraying' him—was enough of a warning."

Colchis smirked quietly. "Are you a psychology expert, Dartz?"

Dartz crossed his arms. "Are you?" he retorted. He actually felt that it would not take an expert to come to such a conclusion, but of course, aside from that he knew quite well what Valon was like from their previous time together.

"Touché." Colchis glanced back at him. "In any case, the rebels have been looking everywhere for him, and they haven't had any luck yet. I daresay, Dartz, if all of Gunther's work is unraveled, I will hold you personally responsible."

Dartz stood up painstakingly. "Maybe you think that you could have done better against him," he said in a dry tone. "But you have to realize, Colchis, I'm not afraid of you or your threats."

"Of course not." Colchis watched as Dartz limped toward the door. "I imagine you're going to lay down and rest now," he observed.

"I am, actually," Dartz retorted, holding onto the wall with one hand until he could reach for the doorknob. "Let me know if Valon is successfully captured again, but don't wake me up to tell me, if I happen to be asleep." Without waiting for a reply, he entered the hallway and shut the door behind him, leaving Colchis to ponder over things. He knew that he was treading on dangerous ground. It would not be long before Colchis acted against him. Dartz could only hope that Colchis would go after him personally and not harm Chris and Ironheart.

_I wonder,_ he thought to himself, _if he ever trusted me at all._ He was starting to doubt it very much.

* * *

Marik's mood did not improve by the time he went to see Sapphire. He was stopped at the door by Ishizu, who informed him that the Queen was not feeling well and that she needed to rest. And though Marik tried to protest, his sister was firm. Sapphire was not to be disturbed at this point. 

Marik rubbed his eyes. "Sister . . . Volker told me things," he admitted finally, looking at the older woman. "He told me things that he said Sapphire knew . . . that none of us knew. And I don't think it's right." He clenched a fist angrily, his lavender eyes flashing. He was tired of always being kept in the dark when things like this happened. He knew that sometimes it was a hard decision to make—whether it would be more painful to know or not to know—but for him, personally, he would rather know. And he was certain that Valon's friends would feel the same way.

Ishizu frowned, watching him. "What do you mean, Marik?" she asked. "What did Volker tell you?" She, like Marik, was not completely certain how she felt about Volker. He definitely had not made a good impression when he had first arrived. But she believed in giving people second chances and Volker had seemed to live up to his. She could not imagine why he and Sapphire both would keep something important from the rest of them.

And so Marik relayed the information to her in a low tone as they walked away from Sapphire's room and down the hall. Ishizu listened grimly, finding that she was not any more pleased than her brother was about the situation. She assumed that Sapphire had had a reason for not informing them, but she did not feel that it should have happened. They did, indeed, have a right to know.

She had learned through sad experience what could happen when the truth was withheld from people. Still she would often remember how she and Rishid had decided not to tell Marik what had actually happened to their father, and wonder what would have happened if they had been honest with him. It was true, everything might have been worse, as she had feared—and yet on the other hand, the many tragedies that had followed might not have. But there was not much point in brooding over the past. The current situation needed attention.

"I want to know what's going on, Sister," Marik declared as he concluded his story. "If we had known these things before, we might have been able to do research and find where this tomb is! Someone would have to know, after all. It couldn't be a mystery to everyone here in Juno!"

Ishizu laid a hand gently on his shoulder. "You are right, Marik," she reassured him, then paused. "Maybe," she said at last, "someone else here would know the location of the tomb. We could inquire around while Sapphire is resting. Once she rises for the day, I certainly do intend to ask her about this." Her cerulean eyes narrowed firmly.

Marik nodded, relieved that his sister agreed with him on the matter. "We could start with the doctor," he suggested, noticing that they were near the physician's room.

Ishizu gazed thoughtfully at the door, then smiled. "Alright. Let's."

* * *

Raphael was awake early that morning, as he usually was. With a sigh he gazed around the darkened room before switching on a light. Maybe, he thought, he should check on Alister. He had been awakened by a sound from the next room, so it seemed likely that his redhaired friend was awake. Either Alister had knocked something over by accident, he had crashed into the wall in the dark, or he had become so frustrated that he had kicked the wall or something else in the room. 

Raphael had been able to tell that yesterday had been an especially bad one for the younger man. Alister had returned to the abode with thin streams of blood running down his arms. And then Raphael had gone to him and had insisted on taking care of the small wounds in his hands. To his surprise, Alister had let him.

He knew that Alister was suffering more than he ever wanted to say. As always, he did not want to burden Raphael with his feelings—but Raphael would not consider it a burden at all. They both missed Valon, and if they could talk things over together, it might somewhat alleviate their pain.

Slowly he eased himself out of the bed, shivering slightly at the feel of the cold marble underneath his feet. With a sigh he pulled himself up, gripping the nightstand at first, and took several steps forward. A dull ache went through his leg this time, instead of the burning sensation that it had been before, and he considered it an improvement. He continued to head toward the door, only reaching for the wall when he was absolutely certain that he needed it. A week ago when he had tried to do that he had ended up sprawled on the floor. The experience had left him annoyed and all the more determined to do it right. Now he was managing it.

As he reached the door and opened it, heading into the hallway, he suddenly wondered if it could have been Alexander making the noise. The doppelganger sometimes had problems with accidentally knocking things to the floor, usually due to his wings. The other day he had sent a vase crashing down, and he had simply stood there for a moment, blinking and looking unsure as to what had happened. It had been somewhat of a comical sight and Raphael had actually had a bit of a hard time suppressing a chuckle at the creature's bewildered expression. Alexander was so much like a child that it was often hard to remember that he was supposed to be Alister's age.

Just as Raphael was going to knock on the door, it opened and a weary Alister stepped out. Raphael gazed at him sadly, seeing his bloodshot eyes and ruffled hair. "You couldn't sleep?" he asked, even though the answer seemed obvious.

Alister shook his head but did not elaborate. "Alexander knocked over the nightstand in his sleep," he said instead. Due to the doppelganger's phobia about being alone, he had been staying with Alister in his room. Alister did not really mind. Alexander's childlike personality reminded him in some ways of Miruko.

"Oh." Raphael leaned against the wall. "I guess that's what woke me up."

Alister nodded. "Probably." He looked as though he was about to walk around Raphael. "I'm going to take a short walk for a while," he announced, and it was not a surprise.

But still Raphael sighed. "Alister . . . you know that I'm here if you want to talk." He laid a hand on the other's shoulder.

Alister turned to look at him. "I know," he said quietly. His eyes showed that he was truly grateful that Raphael was still there, but that did not remove the emptiness from his heart. Perhaps some part of him felt that if he went walking and always returned to the crumbled palace, he would one day find Valon there as well. After all, Valon would not even know to go into the mountains to find them. What if some day Alister had even missed his friend's approach because he had not been there at the time? Alister could not imagine what Valon might think if he returned to the palace and found that no one was there. Valon would not know what to do or where to go. Maybe he would even believe that everyone else was dead.

Raphael moved out of the way to let him pass. Perhaps he understood some of those feelings, though he did not say anything to indicate that. "Be careful," he said finally. He did know that it was important for Alister to go on those walks. It would drive him mad if he was forced to remain inside all the time. Raphael knew; he felt that way himself. And so he did not want to stand in Alister's way.

Alister nodded. "I will." He walked past his friend and down the hall. _And maybe,_ he said silently, _I'll come back with Valon._ He said the same thing to himself every time, even though another part of him did not actually believe it would happen. But the part of his heart that kept hoping did not want to give up.

* * *

This day Alister would get his wish, even though things would not go exactly the way he wanted. Valon had come through the woods at last and had found himself at the wreckage of the palace. He had stared at it in disbelief before slowly walking forward to investigate the extent of the damage. He had not realized that it was so very severe. But of course, he had been too badly injured before to pay much attention to the state of the building. 

Now he wandered amongst the fallen pillars and crumbled walls, his eyes blank and saddened. Where was everyone? It was obvious that this place was deserted. Maybe the rebels had taken them too. Or maybe they had all been killed and they were buried in some mass grave somewhere. Valon clenched a fist subconsciously. That could not be true! He did not know if he could bear it if it was. He wanted his friends back . . . if they were still genuine, of course. Valon also wanted the truth. In spite of being afraid to hear it, he knew he needed to.

Suddenly he heard a piece of marble crack and he came to attention. He was not alone after all. The dark sky had lightened slightly, as it was near sunrise, and Valon squinted ahead until he saw the other person. A jolt went through his heart as he realized it was Alister. So . . . he was still alive.

Mixed feelings of relief and indignation surged through the Australian as he stepped forward, glaring furiously at the lanky young man standing in front of him. His blue eyes flashed with pain and emotional injury as the unwelcome memories of being abandoned returned to haunt him once again. "I wondered if I'd ever find you again!" he cried hotly, the words tumbling out before he could stop them. "I've got a score to settle with you."

Alister could only stop and stare in disbelief at his friend, at first not even sure that he had actually heard Valon's voice. But he quickly realized that he had. And it was obvious that something was not right. He could tell that just by looking at Valon for that first agonizing moment. His own heart twisted painfully. Here was Valon, just as he had been longing for, but he was different. He was tortured and haunted, his eyes displaying many emotions. Alister did not even know what to say to him.

At last he struggled to speak. "Valon . . . we've been looking for you for so long," he said softly. "We were afraid that you were dead."

Valon only glared at him. "Yeah?" He shuddered, willing the painful memory of Alister abandoning him to go away. It was always unwelcome in his mind, and when he wanted it the least, it would bother him again. He wanted to be able to feel happy that he had found one of his friends, but the voices seemed determined to not let it happen.

_Here he is,_ they said. _He left you alone. Don't let him get away with it!_

Alister nodded, feeling dizzy. They were both standing in what had once been the palace grounds, with weeds and dead flowers scattered around them. It seemed to him that the wilted roses and hyacinth were not the only barriers between them now. "What do you mean, Valon, when you say you have a score to settle?" he asked quietly. His gray eyes took in the shorter, younger man in front of him. Valon was fuming, breathing heavily, and looked very close to wanting to give Alister a resounding punch. "What did I do?"

"What did you do! _What did you do!_" Valon laughed bitterly. The voices were growing more insistent and the implanted recollections flashed more repeatedly through his mind. Seeing Alister had brought this on, and now Valon felt himself becoming furious. "Oh, that's a good one. That's real good, Alister." He clenched his fist so tightly that Alister was certain he would see trails of blood momentarily. "Do you wanna know what you did?" He blinked fiercely as if trying to hold back the angry tears that were gathering as he screamed, "_YOU LEFT ME!_" Then he took a deep breath and then went on. "I was all torn up after that battle and you just left me to die!"

Alister was stung, though he did not outwardly show it. This was not Valon . . . not the cheerful, carefree Valon who had been lost and presumed dead several weeks previous. This Valon was more haunted and horrendously mistaken and misled, but why and how? That was what Alister had to determine. "Valon, that's not true," he retorted, stepping over the weeds to stand closer to the Australian. Had he been so gravely injured that his thoughts had been distorted in delirium? Or had someone, perhaps their enemy in this land, found his nearly-dead body and nursed the brunette back to health, all the while taking advantage of his insecurities and preying upon them until Valon had believed the carefully crafted lies? Alister and Raphael had actually considered such a possibility when they had been trying to come up with alternate ideas as to what had happened to their friend.

"_If we find Valon again, and he's alive, he may not be who we remember,"_ Raphael had remarked grimly a few weeks back. _"He might be working for the other side." _Neither of them had actually wanted to believe that was so. It seemed to Alister that it would be a much worse fate than death. But it appeared as though Valon was, indeed, suffering it.

"That's what I wanna know!" the tortured Australian screamed now, reaching up and shaking Alister harshly by gripping his shoulders. "I wanna know if it's true! If you and Raph don't want me around any more, just admit it already! _Admit it!_ Then we can stop lying to ourselves and get on with our lives!" He was angry, yes, but Alister could see that the dominant emotions right now were anguish and pain. Valon was not himself, and he was obviously highly tormented and confused as he continued. "I'm tired of being nothing more than something to throw away when its time of being helpful is over! I'm tired of everyone hating me and rejecting me!"

Alister attempted to get free from Valon's grasp and to lay his hands on the brunette's shoulders. "Valon, listen to me," he said firmly while struggling with the younger, but stronger, man. "I don't know all of what you were told, or by whom, but it's all lies. Raphael and I never knew what had happened to you after the battle. We looked everywhere for you, but you were gone. As I said, we didn't even know if you were alive." He tried in vain to get Valon to hold still. "I never saw you when it was over, and certainly I didn't reject you. I would never leave you to die and neither would Raphael. You know better than that, Valon."

That was what Valon had longed so desperately to hear. He swallowed hard, releasing Alister more roughly than he had intended to, and half-turned away. "I . . . I was all alone there, bleeding to death," he said softly. "I . . . I thought you knew I was there, but then you walked away . . . and I knew that didn't sound like something you'd do. That's why I was so confused." He trembled, overwhelmed by the immense feelings of perplexity and agony he was experiencing. Alister had to be telling the truth. It had to be the voices that were lying! It _had_ to be! "I mean . . . I thought that I'd finally found somewhere I belonged with you and Raph. . . ." He trailed off, clenching his fists again, and then stared at Alister, who had crashed against a lone pillar of the palace after he had been shoved backward. Now the magenta-haired man was sitting on the grass, rubbing his head and looking pained.

Alister raised his gray-eyed gaze to meet Valon's blue orbs. "I'm sorry, Valon," he stated quietly, feeling his heart clench. "I'm so sorry. . . ." He moved his hand away, checking to make sure the injury was not bleeding, and then winced, feeling slightly dizzy from the blow. He slumped back against the pillar, gazing up into the skies. His close friend, someone who was almost like a brother, had been emotionally damaged in ways that Alister had feared about many a time since he had vanished. Alister had wondered whatever he would do if he found Valon in such a condition, but nothing could have prepared him for this.

At the moment another change seemed to be coming over the tormented Australian. He stared at Alister again, realizing that he had hurt him, and then gasped in horror, kneeling down. "Alister . . . I . . . I'm the one who's sorry!" he exclaimed, leaning over into Alister's line of vision. "I didn't mean it!" Tortured by the thought that he had brought harm to his friend, Valon leaned against the pillar and berated himself. He was angry and hurt and felt used, but he wanted so urgently to believe in Alister's words. He knew that his friend would not lie to him. And in any case, he had not wanted Alister to be hurt.

Alister looked over at him, seeing with relief that the Valon he knew still existed. "I'm alright," he reassured, pulling himself into a kneeling position as well and gripping Valon's shoulders. "Just hear me out, Valon, and then judge me how you will." He frowned, seeing Valon's gaze drift back to the ground. "No, look at me," the redhead said firmly. At last Valon did and Alister calmly explained the way things truly had been—how Raphael had been badly injured, how Alister had looked everywhere for his and Raphael's missing comrade and had only found his bloodied goggles, how they had initially decided that he might be dead, and then how they had considered other possibilities and had tried to figure out where Valon might be being held captive if he were still alive.

"We didn't give up on you, Valon," Alister told him calmly. "We never did. We were worried about you and did everything we could to find you. Have you ever known me to lie?" His gray eyes pierced into Valon's cerulean orbs.

Valon stared back, feeling a sharp prick in his soul. "Naw," he said finally, his voice cracking. "Never. . . ." His shoulders slumped and he gazed at the ground again, suddenly awash with shame. Of course Alister was telling the truth. It was the voices that were lying! Valon had only considered the possibility of them telling the truth because he had been so sick at the time that he had not been thinking clearly, and then by the time he was well again, the memory of the words was so firmly engraven in his mind that he was afraid they were true and that he even remembered seeing Alister and Raphael cruelly leaving him to die.

Brokenly he tried to explain, but he was disgusted with himself and full of rage toward the ones who had done this to him.If he ever found those responsible, and he had the pole with him, they would be in for a world of hurt.

Alister listened patiently. It was as he and Raphael had expected. He was not angry with Valon for what had taken place, but outraged at the sheer cruelty of what had been done to his friend. Valon was very sensitive and had been rejected by people all through his young life. Alister did not understand how anyone could be so heartless as to make this already-tortured soul believe that he had been abandoned again. It made the part of him that cried for justice wish to rise up and avenge such a wrongdoing. Certainly the one responsible deserved some sort of punishment or fair consequence for their actions.

"Well . . . I guess that's all there is to it," Valon said glumly when he had finished, telling of how he had escaped from where he had been kept during his recovery and had come looking for the ones he was afraid had left him for dead. "I can see how you probably wouldn't wanna have anything to do with me now." He shrugged helplessly, a weak and melancholy half-smile gracing his features. "I shouldn't have fallen for that garbage, even just a little bit. I should've had more faith in my chums. . . ." Slowly he got up, prepared to leave and bracing himself for rejection.

Alister stood up with him. "It looks like you still haven't learned your lesson," he replied, looking down at Valon from his full height.

Valon blinked at him. "Whaddya mean!" he cried, narrowing his eyes.

"You're still not having much faith," Alister retorted. "I don't place any blame on you, Valon, and Raphael won't, either. Not under the circumstances. You were ill and you didn't even really know what was happening. The ones who abducted you knew exactly what would get you upset the most and how to prey on your insecurities. They made you believe that you actually saw things you didn't. You were an innocent victim of their treachery, and I can see that you've been struggling with what to believe. You didn't completely regard their lies as truth." He crossed his arms, watching the brunette's expression change from stunned shock to disbelief and finally to awe.

"You mean . . . you still want me around?" Valon said slowly.

"If I didn't, I would have abandoned you in disgust a long time ago," Alister replied, half-turning. "Now let's go. We've been staying at the Queen's secret home in the mountains since the palace was destroyed." He waited for Valon to follow him, then started walking.

Valon brightened, walking alongside his friend. So he had not been rejected and he still would not be, despite his misguided thoughts? It was all so strange and wonderful that he had true friends. It was new to him, since he been rejected countless times in the past when he had thought and done wrong things. Everyone had despised him and he had been kicked around until he had forced himself to toughen up and strive to be better than any of them. But still he had longed for a sense of purpose and belonging. He was realizing all the more that he had that with Alister and Raphael. They were his friends—his brothers—and always would be.

"You know," he spoke now, cuffing Alister lightly on the arm and genuinely starting to grin, "I've actually missed you."

Alister turned briefly to look at him, expressionless as usual. Then he smiled slightly, letting some of his true emotions be revealed. "Likewise; I missed you." _So much more than you could ever know,_ he added to himself. Now maybe things could finally start going back to normal.


	10. The Second Battle

**Note: Character development is the main point of this story, not action and battles. A good story moves along at a reasonable pace, and unless it is supposed to be in the action genre, there will not be fast-paced "action" in every chapter. (Not even all "action" stories do that, anyway.) If certain impatient people cannot accept this, it would be better for them to go read something else that will better suit their needs.**

**

* * *

Chapter Ten**

Colchis was once again in his lavishly furnished office, thoughtfully drinking a goblet of wine as he stood at the window overlooking what had once been one of the most lovely parts of the forest. Other than the mountains, there were still several patches of fertile ground in Juno—which were all concentrated in the woods and all maintained by the pixies inhabiting the area. The clearing where the rebels had their hideout was not one of those places. The grass surrounding the building was brown and dead, the flowers wilted, and the water source dry. It was not a very appealing location, but Colchis did not care about such physical appearances. Gaining control of the land was the most important thing.

He turned casually as the door was thrown open, finding himself looking at an indignant Gunther. The physician's eyes flashed with anger as he regarded the other, and as he advanced into the room, he pointed his forefinger at Colchis.

"Valon still hasn't been caught!" he yelled. "You said that he wouldn't be allowed to get away!" He had spent months working on corrupting Valon's mind, and that was something that he was not willing to simply give up, no matter what Colchis believed to be a better trade. Gunther had little interest in Juno's problems; he wanted to be able to enjoy his practice without any such trifling matters interfering.

"Ah yes." Colchis swished the liquid about in his glass as he half-turned back to the window. "Well, I wouldn't worry too much about him. If you did as good a job as you claim, then he will do part of our work for us and kill off the fools who 'betrayed' him." He smirked quietly, obviosly not bothered by the teen's escape.

Gunther stopped and stared at him, then clenched a fist angrily. "I understand now," he breathed in a dark tone. "This wasn't only a test of Dartz's loyalty; you were testing my skills as well! You intended to let Valon get away!" He wondered why he had not stopped to consider that before. He knew how Colchis was and how he reveled in proving his servants were worthy of his time and energy. He realized that he had blindly decided that Colchis had accepted him, and now he was learning otherwise. It made him furious, that his abilities as a doctor were being doubted.

Colchis laughed. "Well, if you want to put it like that, then yes," he admitted. "I'm testing Dartz, you, and Valon all at once. If Valon fails the test, then he would have done us little good in the first place . . . unless we were to sacrifice him to Geates' Tomb. And that actually isn't such a bad idea. He definitely is strong-willed, after all. I believe the crypt's guardian would accept him. Don't you think so?"

Gunther was not pleased at the suggestion. "That's my latest project you're talking about!" he cried. "And now you're acting like it wouldn't even be a big problem if, by some small chance, my work has failed!"

"Come now, Gunther, you're taking it all much too seriously," Colchis retorted easily. "We have to consider things from all angles, and if your brilliance does leave something to be desired in this case, I want to know that there is a back-up plan. And the fact is, I do need a suitable sacrifice. Maybe we should have done that with Valon in the first place, instead of me letting you attempt to warp his mind."

Gunther glared at him, his brown eyes smouldering. "I thought that was the purpose of Sapphire," he snapped. "That's what you determined when we talked a few hours ago—that she would be the sacrifice."

"And I still feel that way," Colchis said calmly, "if we can take her before the rebels simply eliminate her, as they believe we want to do. Unfortunately, the victim does have to be alive for the sacrifice. It is an annoying clause, isn't it." He walked away from the window and to his desk, casually sitting in his plush chair.

Gunther growled. "What about Dartz?" he wanted to know, changing the subject. "Surely you don't believe the story he fed you."

"No, I don't," Colchis responded agreeably. "He was obviously lying, though I must admire his genius in making certain that he would have injuries to help support his story." He took another sip of wine. "He will be dealt with, I can assure you. I know the ideal time to get rid of him." His eyes narrowed pensively. "Though it seems such a shame to kill him. I wonder what his stake in this is? He doesn't really strike me as the determined 'hero' type."

Gunther looked perturbed. "I'm sure there isn't a specific 'hero' type." He turned to go, deciding that further conversation was pointless. "Heroes come in all types."

"Of course." Colchis smiled. "How are the rebels coming, anyway? It's about time for our next attack. My patience is wearing thin, you know. I want that Talisman!"

"The rebels are ready." Gunther hesitated. "Should we put our plans into motion?"

"Yes." Colchis grinned devilishly. "Bring Dartz to me, won't you? We should discuss our . . . battle strategies."

"I'll do that." Without another word, Gunther exited the room.

* * *

When Alister returned to the summer palace with Valon, everyone was stunned—but of course, happy as well. Valon was apprehensive about the whole thing, and especially about seeing Raphael. Alister assured him again that Raphael would hold no angry feelings, and wandered through the building searching for him while Valon trailed after him uncertainly. 

Eventually they came to the library. Alister went in first and found Raphael sitting on a couch near the window, gazing out into space. Calmly the red-haired man went over to him, inwardly knowing how relieved and overjoyed Raphael would be. "I'm back," he announced when Raphael continued to stare into the distance.

The blonde man started and looked over at him. "That's good," he answered. He frowned slightly as he noticed Alister's eyes, which were now filled with peace. He had not seen his friend looking so tranquil in weeks, ever since Valon had been taken. Thoughts tumbled over themselves in Raphael's mind. Was it possible . . . ?

Alister noticed Raphael's confused expression and smiled softly, something that he rarely did unless he was with children. "I brought Valon back," he declared.

Raphael was stunned. He looked around the room and then to the doorway, where Valon was peering in at him. It almost seemed unreal. The Australian had been missing for so long that part of Raphael's heart had believed him to be dead. But here he was, and he seemed to be alright—though Raphael did wonder why Valon was staying where he was and had not instead ventured into the room. "Valon?" he exclaimed as he slowly began to rise from the couch.

Valon grinned a bit. "Hey Raph," he replied, sounding like his old self.

As Alister quietly explained the details of what had happened and what had been done to Valon, Raphael went to the boy, still limping slightly. Rage burned in his heart as he gazed at Valon and thought about what he must have been through. Everything made sense now, especially why he had not come into the room. Raphael realized that Valon must feel ashamed about what had happened and how he had acted when he had met up with Alister again. Valon's blue eyes were filled with emotions—sorrow, guilt, regrets, but a certain hope flickered through the orbs for a split second.

Valon looked down at the floor as Raphael came over. He felt guilty when he saw that Raphael was, indeed, injured—as Alister had said he was. He knew that it was not his fault that Raphael had been hurt, but that knowledge did not remove the feelings of shame. His disappearance had made Alister and Raphael both worry about him, and while they had been worrying, Valon had been mentally tortured and made to believe that they had abandoned him. And even though Alister had forgiven him wholeheartedly—and Raphael would too—Valon still felt that he had been weak to give in even a little bit to the brainwashing.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, as Alister finished telling about their meeting. He felt quite unworthy of the two friends he had been blessed with, and uncomfortable to be in their presence. Part of him wished that the floor would swallow him into its marble depths.

Gently Raphael laid his hands on Valon's shoulders. "It's alright," he said firmly. "I can't imagine exactly what it must have been like for you, but I know it must have been terrible." And if he was a man driven by revenge, he would feel an intense need to pay back Valon's captors for what they had done. As it was, he certainly would have liked to do that. But he knew it would not serve much of a purpose. Valon was with them again and that was the most important thing.

He then surprised both himself and Valon—and Alister as well—by pulling Valon into a hug. It only lasted a moment before he stepped back, smiling quietly in partial amusement at the boy's shocked expression. "Welcome back," he said softly. It was true that they were not usually affectionate with each other, but Raphael felt that the current situation qualified.

Valon blinked up at him for another moment before allowing himself to smile a bit as well. "Yeah . . . it's good to be back," he said, and meant it. They were still in a strange land, and there was still a good chance that they would end up in more danger, but Valon felt that he was home. He was still welcome in Alister's and Raphael's lives, and that was the most important thing to him. He still felt guilty, but perhaps in time the wounds would begin to heal.

* * *

All of the others spoke to Valon at some point when he returned, save for Sapphire, who was steadily growing worse and still had not come out of her room. Marik had a bad feeling about what was going to happen, and though Ishizu assured him that Sapphire was doing her best to hang on, Marik wondered how long that would last. 

He also wondered further about what she was still hiding something from them. After all, he had still not been able to speak with her about what Volker had told him that morning, despite Ishizu informing her of the conversation. Marik found it rather suspicious, and he was determined to find out why Sapphire had not wanted them to know about Geates' Tomb and the possibility of the Talisman being there. He entertained the possibility that she was ill, but that she was also using that as an excuse to not speak with them. Of course Ishizu did not agree with him, but that did not stop Marik from wondering if it was true. He did not know Sapphire as well as Ishizu and Rishid did, though he knew he should trust their judgement on the matter. Still, even they could be fooled every now and then. Marik hoped that it was not the case this time.

And then it was that Sapphire called everyone to her room several hours later. She was sitting up weakly against the pillows of her bed, her slightly curled blue hair spread out around her and on the sheets. Her skin was very pale and her eyes seemed to be slightly sunken, but she smiled gently at Kade and assured him that she would be alright before sending him off to play with Alexander. Kade left but did not believe her, however, and Marik doubted that anyone there actually did.

"What is it that you have called us here to tell us?" Ishizu asked quietly, studying the woman with her attentive blue eyes. It was obvious that the Talisman's influence had speeded up, despite the fact that they were in the mountains where a small piece of the old Juno still remained. If anything, Sapphire's condition had seemed to grow steadily worse since their arrival, which extremely baffled Ishizu.

Sapphire sighed softly, holding a hand to her forehead as she gazed around the room at everyone present. "I was told," she announced, "that Volker told Marik several important things that he had previously discussed with me. I didn't expressly tell him that these things needed to be kept secret, though I didn't want him to mention our suspicions about Valon when we were not certain." She smiled kindly at the confused brunette. "I'm very glad that our fears were not realized."

Valon simply stared at her in disbelief. "What are you talking about?" he demanded. "What the heck did you think had happened to me?"

Now Sapphire, with Volker interjecting, began to tell of Geates' Tomb and of the rumors of treasure kept there. Geates had forged many different pieces of jewelry and also had obtained various gems that had been buried with him by those who feared that each piece had some sort of curse upon it. There was the great possibility that the Talisman itself had gone there for some reason, perhaps because it knew how difficult it would be for anyone to enter. Sapphire further explained about the dragon reported to guard the crypt and of the need for a human sacrifice before anyone could enter.

Valon was indignant. "Me, offered up like some kinda animal?" He frowned. "That wouldn't happen to me. I'd be more careful than that!"

"You were so badly hurt when they took you that I don't think you would've had much choice," Alister retorted bluntly. Valon muttered something unintelligible.

Seto rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Well, there has to be someone who's familiar with this mausoleum you're talking about," he spoke up in a cold tone. "I can't believe that every single person in this country has no recollection of it simply because they're afraid of some hocus-pocus curses."

Mokuba blushed slightly at Seto's remarks and hoped that Sapphire was not offended.

As it turned out, she was not offended at all. "There are a few who know the location," she admitted. "Most of them live in the forest, and some are guardians of the area around the tomb. They try to keep out unwelcome or unwitting intruders, but I haven't heard anything from them in a while." She frowned, gazing down at the quilt for a moment before looking up again. "They're supposed to send a report to me every month, and I haven't received any news from them in two months now. This is part of what made me wonder if the rebels had gone there. I thought that they might have killed the guardians in order to gain entry."

"Maybe somebody needs to go there and find out what happened," Mokuba suggested.

Volker nodded. "The Queen and I have been considering just such a measure," he said. "On the expeditions I and my friends led into the woods, we were secretly trying to find the guardians, who are spread out in various locations up to twenty miles away from the crypt. Unfortunately, we could not find any trace of them. That doesn't mean that we are giving up, but it certainly makes things more difficult." He ran a hand through his dark hair. "We'll have to search about in the area for the cave itself."

"How hard could that be?" Valon asked with a frown.

"There are many caves all over the area," Sapphire explained quietly. "It would take ages to search through every one of them."

Valon only smirked. "We oughtta get started then," he said, leaning against the bedpost.

Alister raised an eyebrow at him. "After everything you've just come through, you're ready to go out looking for something that might take weeks to find?" Inwardly, though, he knew that they did not have weeks. Juno would be gone by then. He harbored a suspicion that if the guardians had not been killed off by the rebels, they had simply left their posts because of feeling that it was useless.

Valon grinned. "Sure," he said. "I wanna get this place fixed up so that we can go home. I'm sure Raph wants to see his cat. And I wanna find the people who took me and beat 'em up."

Raphael sighed, shaking his head. Valon certainly seemed to be back to his old self, which he was grateful for, but they did not need him doing rash and dangerous things.

Rishid had been silent, pondering carefully over the matter. Now he spoke. "I don't think it would be wise for all of us to go," he declared. "Some of us should remain here in case there is a problem." Mokuba, certainly, should stay. And though Raphael was now able to walk, Rishid did not feel that it was a good idea for him to attempt a long journey through the woods. He was still limping, as the wound had been very severe and had only recently closed up all the way. It was likely that a scar would be left.

"I agree," Ishizu said firmly. "If the rebels attack, there must be people here who can fight." She looked to Volker. "Maybe some of your friends could stay here as well, while the others go on the expedition," she suggested.

Volker nodded. "I know they will be willing to help in any ways that they can," he asserted. "Juno will not last if we don't do all that we can to save it."

Seto grunted. "Even all that we can do might not be enough," he retorted.

Volker turned to look at him coldly. "It will have to be," he answered. "We cannot fail." He was determined to save Juno. Years earlier, when he had been witnessing so many calamities in the land, he had decided that he would become a vigilante to help stop the ones responsible for tarnishing the country that he loved. Unfortunately, he was more often than not too reckless in his haste to overthrow the villains. But he had taught himself most of what he knew and had not had a mentor to train him in such needed skills as controlling his fury and thinking things through.

Sapphire nodded in agreement to Volker's statement. "Talk amongst yourselves," she directed, "and determine who will stay and who will go. But if you cannot find the guardians, it would not be wise to try to go into the crypt. The dragon will not let any of you enter without making a sacrifice—a living, human sacrifice. And we can't have that."

Volker clenched a fist. "The only thing to do is to slay the dragon!" he proclaimed. "Then no one will have to be sacrificed."

"Yeah?" Valon shot back. "And I guess you figure that you're gonna be the one to do it, too." He did not have a particularly high opinion of Volker, especially not when the zealous man had attacked him on their first meeting. Valon felt that Volker was not qualified to be a warrior.

Volker frowned. "Of course," he replied. "There isn't a reason why I couldn't."

"Aw no," Valon muttered in reply. "No reason at all."

Volker ignored his comment. "Could you find your way back to the rebel base, if the need arose?" he asked. If so, Valon was the perfect way for Volker to get to the blasted rebels and to overpower them. First and foremost, that was Volker's mission. He was certain that if those troublesome followers of Fafnir were destroyed, Juno would return to its former glory. The other subjects of the land were in favor of Queen Sapphire, and they were the majority. At least, Volker wanted to think so. The truth was that Sapphire did not have the support of most in Juno. Many who did not like Fafnir wanted various other people to be the ruler.

Alister looked at Volker with annoyance. "Valon just got back," he said indignantly. "You can't expect him to immediately feel like leading you there."

Valon shook his head wearily. "It's alright, mate," he replied, leaning back. He himself was quite irked at Volker as well, however, and he glared at the vigilante. "Just what makes you think I'd help you out, anyway?" he demanded. "You coulda killed me when we first met!"

Volker glared back. "You would be helping all of Juno, not just me!" he retorted. "After the calamities that have struck here, I would think that you would want to accept your part in remedying the situation!" It angered Volker whenever he found people who, for whatever reason, did not want to participate in rectifying the land in which they lived. He believed that such people did not even have the right to live there.

"The only reason you wanna go there is so that you can beat everyone up!" Valon snapped.

Raphael grunted. "And _you_ don't want to?" he said pointedly.

Valon frowned, crossing his arms and muttering. Alister would have been amused, had he not wanted to beat up the rebels himself.

* * *

In the end, they decided that Rishid, Alister, Alexander, and Seto would accompany Volker and some of his friends into the woods. The rest would stay behind at the summer palace. Valon was unhappy about remaining behind, but he knew that if the rebels attacked, he would be needed more at the palace than in the woods. And so he had finally consented. 

"They'll be alright," Raphael told him after goodbyes had been said and the other party was leaving. He, Valon, and the others were watching from the marble porch as Volker's group was beginning the trek down the mountain. In spite of his words, Raphael was concerned himself about what would happen to them. According to the books he had been reading, the forests of Juno were ominous and filled with dangers, especially at night. Of course, Valon had safely made it through a portion of the woods, and Ishizu had mentioned about how Adelpha had come to feel at ease there, so Raphael had to hope that everything truly would be alright.

Valon crossed his arms. "Yeah . . ." he said vaguely. He was not that concerned about them going into the forest, but it frustrated him that he was finally back with his friends and now one of them was leaving. He wondered if it was truly the right thing for him to not go along with them. In a situation such as this, when the outcome was most definitely not known, it was almost impossible to know what one should do. And Valon was tired of making the wrong choices. Though, he supposed that he had made at least one good decision for his life—and that had been to look for Alister and Raphael at the end of Doom.

Marik was also watching. He smiled weakly as Rishid turned around and gave him a reassuring gaze before continuing to follow the others. He had not wanted Rishid to go along, and yet he knew that the Ishtars needed to take part in the expedition as well. Marik would have gone himself, had Kade not begged him to stay and had he not determined that he should indeed stay in case of an attack. What was more, since Seto was going, Mokuba would be all the more upset and worried and Marik felt that he should be there for his other young friend. Ishizu, meanwhile, was staying to look after Sapphire. And so the decision had been made.

Juno was so different now. . . . Marik had to wonder what had become of all the people he had encountered when he had first arrived there, such as Apolla—whom he had fought with on his journey to find his siblings. And he also wondered why his Yami had chosen to bring them there. Had it just been purely to torment his Hikari, as Marik had often thought, or had there been another, darker reason? Yami Marik certainly could have led anyone into the web of deceit he had weaved, and it had made sense for him to pick the Ishtars, but still Marik wondered if it was not perhaps too simple to be the complete truth. If there had been another reason, he wondered what it was.

"What if the rebels don't attack?" Marik found himself saying aloud. "Then I would have rather gone with Rishid. . . ." He clenched a fist in vexation.

Ishizu laid a hand on his shoulder. "Juno is nearing its end," she replied quietly. "The rebels cannot afford to wait much longer to launch their next assault. I'm afraid it will happen very soon—if not while the others are gone, it will almost certainly be soon after they return."

"Wonderful," Marik muttered.

* * *

The first day and night passed by in relative peace, much to everyone's surprise and relief. For some, however, such as Marik and Alister, this only made them grow more suspicious about what was to come. The rebels likely would not attack when it was expected. Even if they did not realize that everyone was concerned that they would strike, Marik felt that the irony of life would ensure that it would not happen for a while yet. He was certain that when they all least expected it, the assault would come. 

For those traveling through the forest, there was little difference between day and night in terms of the amount of light that came through. Other than the lanterns that they brought, the only brightness seemed to come from the pixies that Valon had seen the previous day. Alister recognized some of the oddly shaped trees as ones that they had passed before when searching for Valon, but he tried to ignore the memories that they stirred up. After all, Valon was back with them now, and safe—at least until the rebels would strike.

He followed the others around a curve, seeing out of the corner of his eye that Alexander was still right beside him. The doppelganger was keeping his wings close to him, even though he usually did not like to do so. Right now his priority was to make certain that his wings did not catch on loose branches or even to be grabbed by some of the local wildlife. Alister could see from the creature's eyes that he was somewhat nervous, but he pressed on because he was determined to be with Alister on this venture and to protect him if the need arose. Alexander was loyal that way.

Rishid was bringing up the rear of the party. He narrowed his eyes, brushing aside a low-hanging tree branch as he studied the current area they were passing. Something about it seemed off, but he was not certain what it was. The formation of the trees, or the brush, or. . . . Suddenly he knew what it was. "Stop!" he called firmly.

Everyone stopped. "What's going on?" Volker demanded. "Did you find something?"

Rishid nodded. "I believe so," he said grimly. "Look at the unnatural pattern of those leaves just to the side of us on the forest floor. They don't look like the plants surrounding them." He stepped closer cautiously, surveying the spot again. Then he reached down, picking up one of the leaves. "These are simply setting on the ground," he deduced. "They aren't growing here."

Volker pushed past the others to come over to the scene. "Well, what is it then?" he demanded. "Some sort of cover-up?" He knelt down and began brushing the leaves aside, then gasped. "It is!" he declared. "It's covering a pit!" Carefully he took his lantern and shined it into the hole, aghast at the depth of it. He had not realized that anyone would take the time to dig such a hole and then cover it over, unless they had ulterior motives. But then he saw that indeed someone had. His eyes widened, then narrowed in contempt.

Seto came over now, annoyed with the delay. "Well, what is it?" he demanded, shining his own light into the hole. When he saw the body far below at the bottom, his expression twisted in disgust. This had been set up in order to trap and kill someone, and there could very well be more such traps all along their way. Seto felt immeasurably grateful that Mokuba had not come along and that he had remained back at the summer home, though he doubted the safety of any place in this strange country.

Volker shook his head slowly, anger obvious in his eyes. "This was a very recent death," he observed. "The body hasn't started to decay yet and the blood looks fresh, from what I can see." He straightened up. "The leaves were replaced so that more unfortunate souls might fall through and meet the same fate. The one who did this is probably still here in the forest, somewhere." And he was outraged. The ones responsible would regret their actions once they had the misfortune to meet up with Volker. He would make certain of it.

Alister was also appalled and revolted, though he was certainly not a stranger to death and the actual sight of the body did not bother him as much as it did some of the others. "Could that be one of the guardians?" he asked, though he was certain that he was not the only one wondering that.

"It is," Volker's friend Arvin said. He was a quiet sort, the exact opposite of Volker, and his hair was a reddish-orange color that was cropped close to his head. His violet eyes took in the scene piercingly as he made certain that the leaves were not covering the hole again. After all, they certainly did not want anyone else to fall in. He pointed down into the crater. "Do you see the robes he's wearing, or rather, what's left of them? That is the traditional attire of the guardians of Geates' Tomb. I know because my father was one of them for many years. They're actually a kind of priest belonging to one of Juno's religions, and it's a great sin to kill one." It was obvious from his expression that he was quite shaken by the sight, perhaps imagining his father in this guardian's place.

Seto's lip curled in irritation. "So if the guardians are being deliberately killed, then that means there's a chance that the murderer is after the contents of the tomb, like you were worrying?" he said flatly. That was the last thing he had wanted to deal with, even though he had known it would be a possibility. He had wanted to hurry through this expedition so that perhaps things would come to their conclusion much sooner. Now, with the danger becoming very real, he doubted that it would happen.

"That's right," Arvin nodded in confirmation. "We'll have to be extremely careful as we go forward."

Alexander bit his lip, worrying anew about Dartz. He also knew that Chris and Ironheart were in danger, and with the discovery of the body, he began to worry about Alister's safety as well. He snuggled the gray-eyed man from behind, burying his face against Alister's shoulder. Alister tensed, the way he always did when someone showed such affection, but then slowly relaxed and let Alexander hug him. He did not feel at all comfortable being embraced or in embracing others, even those he most cared about, but he did let his guard down around children.

Seto grunted in annoyance as he walked past Arvin. "Sure, we'll be careful," he answered. "We'll have to watch out for pitfalls."

* * *

It was the following night when the trouble started at the summer palace. 

Everything seemed perfectly normal at first. Marik was outside again with Kade. Sapphire was asleep, Ishizu keeping a vigil over her slumber. Valon was silently sitting in a windowsill, one knee drawn up to his chest as he gazed out at Juno and wondered what would go wrong next—and trying to determine if there had been a reason to take him specifically. Raphael was elsewhere in the home, trying and failing to make sense out of the entire experience and wondering who had helped Valon escape.

As Valon remained in his position near the attic, staring out into space, he suddenly realized that there were specks of illumination in the distance. He sat straight up, focusing in disbelief at the mass of flickering torch lights coming toward the palace. Could it be Alister and the others returning, not having had any success in their mission? Valon did not truly think it was likely, though he wanted to hope. But he knew that it was more probable that it was the rebels coming back for the next confrontation. He had to warn the others.

As it turned out, Marik and Kade had also seen the unexpected glows. Determining that they must be in for trouble, Marik quickly ushered Kade inside and then followed him, meeting Valon running down the stairs. "It looks like we've got a fight on our hands!" Marik yelled to him as he dashed past.

"No kiddin'!" Valon retorted.

It seemed that no one could ever fully prepare for a large scale battle, and there was not even time to try to begin to do so as the army came to a halt in front of the closed gates. Ishizu, observing from Sapphire's window, narrowed her eyes as the tall figure in the lead stepped forward.

"I'm afraid you can't continue this ruse," he said coldly in an accented voice. "Colchis knew of your location all along, since he once worked in the palace, and now we've come to destroy all of you." He looked toward Ishizu, his face masked and wreathed in shadows by the dark hood of his cloak. Over the distance separating them, Ishizu could not make out any of his facial features.

She leaned out of the window angrily. "We will not be defeated so easily!" she declared. "The future of Juno depends on us and we will not fail in our mission to save it!"

"That's what we're after too—the salvation of Juno," was the reply. "But our methods are different from yours." Behind him, the rebels took up a loud chant of "Free Juno! Free Juno!" The man in the lead did not join them, but instead stood stoically as their furious and fervent cries increased. The large majority of them had no idea what was actually going on and how Colchis was manipulating them. Only a select few of the higher ranked men actually understood the dark secret behind what was happening, and they were content to assist people such as Colchis and Gunther in order to obtain their goals.

Ishizu continued to gaze down at them, wondering in her own mind if such things could be true and feeling quite sorry for the rebels if they were. Fafnir had blinded many of Juno's citizens in his quest for power, and Colchis most likely had been preying on that fact. Such zealous people were more than willing to be rid of the Queen if they were assured that the destruction in Juno would stop if they did.

"If a battle is what you desire, you will have it," the Egyptian woman said now. "But it will not take place in this building. You will have to get past the brave soldiers before you can reach the Queen, and you will fight them below the mountain in the dead fields." The grounds would not be a good place for such a battle. They needed to be preserved as one of the only spots in Juno that still had flowers, trees, and other plants, which were needed for the land and the people to continue to survive. Many of the trees and plants bore fruit and vegetables and other edible things. A mountain in general was not an ideal place to become locked in mortal combat, anyway.

The leader did not take much time to ponder over Ishizu's declaration. "Fair enough," he said. "Gather your soldiers and we will meet at the foot of the mountain." With that he turned and began to walk away, the rebels following after him.

Ishizu watched them depart, then leaned back into the room and closed the window. Her heart racing, she glanced at the still sleeping Sapphire before hastening out of the room to inform the others.

* * *

Dartz looked out over the battlefield, his hood whipping against his face as a fierce wind swept through. A storm was coming. That seemed altogether appropriate, but still unpleasant—to be fighting to the death in wind and rain, and probably thunder and lightning as well. That was so much like it had been during the battle of Atlantis so many millennia ago. 

He was still not pleased about sending the rebels out to fight the others, but Colchis had assigned him to the army as a test of Dartz's loyalty—unless he was planning to kill him during the battle. Dartz had certainly considered that possibility and he knew he would have to be on his guard. And he knew that the fight was inevitable, no matter whether he was leading the rebels on or not. It would be risky, but he would do what he could to help bring Sapphire's side to victory while hopefully not incriminating himself along the way.

The opposing side had arrived now. Dartz watched them as they marched down the remaining yards of the mountain to stand facing the rebellion. Their armor was scuffed and scratched, but their weapons were sharpened and held high. Their eyes were cold and firm, though emotions such as nervousness flickered now and then. But in spite of any feelings of agitation, they were not afraid to fight, to die for their country. And Dartz knew that the same could be said of all but the few greedy ones under his command.

Slowly he raised his arm high, his own sword gleaming in the few wisps of moonlight, and then he lowered it again, clipping off several brown blades of grass in the process. His golden eyes narrowed as he knew the moment had come. The battle could not be put off any longer. His voice rang out over the field, carried by the wind to almost everyone in attendance. "Attack."


	11. The Talisman

**Chapter Eleven**

Alister brushed aside a hanging fern, his eyes narrowing as it snapped back into place and tapped him harmlessly yet annoyingly on the head. It had been a mile or so since they had found the priest's body, and the forest had been completely eerie since then. The pixies that had been flitting around were now gone, and there also were not any animals. Alister was not certain what the explanation was, but Volker and his friends seemed assured of the meaning.

"Because it's a sin to kill one of these priests, an evil presence has descended on the forest," Volker announced gravely. "The pure creatures will not walk here any longer—not until the villains are brought to justice." And he was more than willing to be the one to do that. How dare they commit such atrocities in his land! He would not stand for it.

Seto rolled his eyes. "Oh please," he grunted. He was regretting ever coming on this mission. Being around Volker for a long time made him irritable, for one thing. The man was so extremely impulsive and almost idealistic in his beliefs that he could change what was that it reminded Seto too much of Joey Wheeler. And of course being around that Brooklyn boy for very long was not something Seto relished. Seto was not even certain that coming along on this excursion had a point, but if it would make the others happy to find this Talisman, he had decided that he would make the best of it. If they were satisfied, then perhaps the end would be in sight. He just hoped that Mokuba would be safe in the meantime.

Alexander now blinked at him. "Do you have a better explanation?" he asked curiously, moving closer to Alister. He could sense the dark presence that Volker had mentioned, and judging by Alister's tense expression, he could as well. The doppelganger spread his wings defensively, ready to cover Alister with them if necessary.

"I don't need an explanation," Seto retorted. "We can operate better without a lot of animals around anyway."

Abruptly there was a noise in the nearby brush and everyone perked up nervously. Volker and the rebels shifted into an attack position, their weapons held high. Alexander kept his wings spread and started to lower them over Alister, but the other redhead shook his head in protest. He did not want to be shielded at the expense of all the others who would be vulnerable, and he and the others likewise braced themselves for a possible fight.

All of them were stymied when several elderly men adorned in robes identical to those of the dead man emerged into the clearing. They stood there, gazing calmly at the group with peaceful, wise eyes. None of them spoke aloud, but they did not have to.

Volker was the first to visibly react. He lowered his spear, turning to look at the others. "It's alright," he declared. "These are the other holy priests."

Slowly everyone else relaxed as well. Then Volker stepped forward, becoming the self-appointed spokesperson for the group. No one objected, and the priest in the lead went over to him.

"Travelers, what brings you to this once sacred spot?" he asked in a quiet voice. "It has been gravely desecrated by evil men." He studied each of them in turn, and Rishid took note of the jewel-studded ring on his left hand. When the older man caught Rishid gazing at it, the hand quickly vanished into the many folds of the humble robe's sleeve. Rishid frowned slightly, but when he glanced at the others he found that none of them had seemed to notice what had happened.

"We are on a quest to find Geates' Tomb," Volker answered, and explained of the reason behind their mission while the others made interjections. The priests listened quietly, nodding as they appeared to believe and understand what they were being told.

"Your mission is noble," spoke the first at long last. "You are hoping to find the Talisman itself in the tomb, if I am understanding correctly, or something else magical that may be of use during the approaching battle." He looked back at his companions and they all nodded, as if exchanging silent questions and answers between them, and then he looked back to Volker. "So you wish for us to escort you to the tomb, am I correct?"

"That's right," Volker nodded as well, but then blinked in confusion as Arvin laid a hand firmly on his shoulder.

"Volker, I want a word with you in private," he said softly, urgency obvious in his eyes.

Volker felt confused. "Why?" he demanded. "Is something wrong?"

Arvin shook his head and walked on ahead, grabbing Volker's arm as he went. When they were near the back of the procession, he finally spoke. "Volker, these men are not the priests," he said in hushed tones. "I swear it on the grave of my father, who was one of them. The ones who have come to us are all imposters!" It was clear from his eyes that he sincerely and completely believed what he was telling, but Volker was incredulous. Such a thing had never happened before, and he was not willing to believe that it had now.

"That's ridiculous!" he retorted. "They couldn't be imposters. Who would they be then? And why impersonate the priests? What reason could they have?"

"If these were truly the holy guardians, then they would be in deep mourning," Arvin responded. "They would be wearing the traditional robes of grief, but instead, as you can see, their attire is the same as the departed. It's obvious they know about the other man's death—they talked about the desecration—but they simply show nothing else that's evident of the knowledge. They act like nothing is truly wrong at all!" He narrowed his eyes. "As for why they're doing this, I don't know. Maybe they're trying to lead us into a trap. Maybe they want to sacrifice us to the dragon so that they can get the riches in the tomb. If they are false guardians, they may have tried and failed to get the dragon to obey them and hence, require the sacrifice. All I know is that we cannot trust them!"

Rishid, overhearing their discussion, came over closer to volunteer his own bit of information. Alexander, Alister, and Seto soon followed, along with the rest of the rebels. "The spokesman has a ring," Rishid announced quietly. "When he realized I had seen it, he tried to conceal it."

Arvin snapped his fingers. "There! You see? These men live too modestly to have fine jewelry. They would never be caught with it." He looked desperately at Volker. "You have to trust me, friend. Things are not as they seem to be. If you insist on trusting them, it's a path I can't follow you upon." It was obvious that he was completely serious in his words. He would not allow himself to be killed over folly such as this. He had to stay alive to protect Juno. And even though it would pain him for his friend to go astray, he would never go down the same path himself.

Volker's own eyes were narrowed darkly as he thought over what he was being told. Arvin knew of the priests' lifestyle better than he did; indeed, it was one of the reasons he had brought the other young man along. He did not have any doubt that Arvin knew of what he was speaking. What concerned him was what they were going to do about it. "Perhaps," he said finally, "we should pretend to trust them, to find out what they're up to. We outnumber them, after all. If they show their true colors and try to have us killed, we can fight back." He gripped his spear. "I will never back down from my fight to save Juno, and if these men are truly enemies, then they must be found out and eliminated."

Seto felt highly annoyed over this latest development, but he was not surprised. Though he did not believe that anything supernatural was afoot, he could easily accept the idea that wicked men were manipulating events in their own favor because they wished to rule Juno. He would be more surprised if something like that was not the case. "Fine," he growled then. "Let's find out what they're up to. The sooner, the better. I have a brother to protect and a company to run." With that he turned away, walking back to where the priests were waiting.

Volker frowned after him, then looked back to the others. "Is everyone of that same mind?" he demanded. He was pleased to see nods all around. In determination he walked back through the grass and weeds to speak with the supposed holy man in the lead.

"Please forgive that little interruption," he said smoothly, knowing that he could not let on that they were all suspicious now. "One of my men had some fears concerning the great dragon. I was trying to reassure him that there is not any danger when we're in your company." He smiled calmly. "After all, the beast in under your control, is he not?"

He took notice of the way the priest swallowed nervously before answering. "Why, of course. We have only to give him the command and he will let us pass. Come. It is still a long way from here." With that the man quickly brushed by, apparently eager to be on his way. Volker smiled, convinced that they were on the right track, and followed—gesturing to the others to do the same.

* * *

Ishizu watched silently from the window, gazing down to where she knew the battle was taking place. She could see the torches and hear the screams of the soldiers, and she gripped the curtain as she shut her eyes tightly. Marik was down there. He had insisted, as she had known he would, and she feared that he had already been injured—or worse. Of course she had confidence in his fighting skills, but he had never been exposed to something as grueling and treacherous as this. He was in danger. All of their warriors were, and Ishizu feared that the enemy's army was much greater. 

"Miss Ishizu?"

The Egyptian woman started and looked down when she felt a small hand tugging on her skirt. Kade was looking up at her with wide, worried eyes, reminding her again of Marik as a child, and her heart shattered.

"Yes? What is it, Kade?" she asked gently as she knelt down to be at the same level with him.

His lip trembled. "Is Mr. Marik gonna be okay?" he asked. "I . . . I don't want anything to happen like . . . like what happened last time!" He was trying so hard to be strong, but it was obvious that he was afraid—not just for Marik, but for his mother, whose condition was still worsening. He had seen so much that no one should ever have to see—especially at his age.

Ishizu gathered him into her arms. "I pray that he will be," she said softly, knowing that she could not promise anything. She closed her eyes again, delivering a silent prayer as she felt Kade's shoulders shaking. Failure was not an option. Juno had to be saved—and Ishizu could only hope that it was not God's plan for Sapphire, or Marik—or Rishid—to die in order for it to come to pass.

* * *

The wind on the battlefield was picking up speed, making it all the more difficult to fight. Marik had to repeatedly brush his hair out of his eyes, but it did little good as it came right back. In frustration he jabbed at an enemy soldier, grimacing as he caught the other young man in the shoulder. He dodged a spray of blood, wishing that they did not have to be on opposite sides. "We want the same thing!" he yelled, watching the other fall to his knees. "It's ridiculous to fight each other!" 

Suddenly he gasped, feeling a cord go around his neck as someone from behind him tried to choke him. Instinctively he reached up, trying to pull it free while continuing to hold onto the Rod. He kicked back at his opponent and they swiftly tumbled to the ground in mortal combat. The cord was loosed upon impact, but as Marik struggled to get up, the stranger grabbed for him again and wrestled him down a small hill. As they turned over and over, Marik fought for the upper hand—panicked that they would crash into other warring men along the way.

By some miracle they did not, and as they arrived at the bottom Marik managed to get his opponent pinned on the ground. The noose was still around his neck, but he prayed that the man would be too involved with trying to throw him off to try tightening it again. Viciously he punched his attacker, dazing him long enough for Marik to remove the rope and attempt to tie it around his hands. He supposed, in retrospect, that his intention had been to take a hostage in the hopes of halting the battle, but in any case his plan did not proceed as planned.

The man kicked out, catching Marik in the chest and causing him to fall back. Then the enemy soldier was on his feet again, grabbing for a fallen sword and preparing to plunge it into Marik's heart. The Egyptian swiftly rolled out of the way, hearing the slash of the weapon on the dead grass behind him. His heart was racing and he felt himself get an adrenaline rush as he leaped up and drew out the sword that he had chosen when he had been preparing for the battle.

The blades clinked, and for an unknown period of time they fought against the backdrop of warring men and running blood. Both Marik and his opponent gained wounds, and Marik knew that they had to end this swiftly, but just as he succeeded in disarming the man another one dropped onto the scene from the hill above and nearly cut Marik down—but he was stopped by a sharp attack from Valon.

Marik whirled around, hearing the victim's cry, and saw him crash to the ground. Valon stood over the fallen form, breathing heavily. He had barely managed to arrive in time, and was not at all certain what would have happened if he had not. Raising blue eyes to meet Marik's stunned lavender orbs, the Australian grinned and tried to hide his true feelings over what he had been forced to do. "You owe me one, mate," he said cheerily.

Marik nodded slowly, seeing the revulsion in Valon's eyes. The brown-haired young man had never actually had to kill anyone before tonight, and when he had gotten into fights in the past, he had fought with his fists. Valon felt awkward holding a weapon now.

This was all somewhat new for Marik himself, as well. He had certainly never had to fight in a war before now, and he was not certain at all how he felt about it. He knew that it had to be done, and that they would not be fighting each other if they could have made the opposing side understand what was truly happening to Juno, so he had to hope that it was justified. They could not simply stand by and allow themselves and their loved ones to be killed, after all. And so, feeling that he was doing the only thing he could, he had determined to fight to the best of his ability and hope that he would not give in to the increasing emotions of anger and rage that were building.

Suddenly remembering the original man he had been fighting, Marik whirled around just in time to see him reaching for his blade. Before he could attack the boy, Marik delivered a fatal blow and then stood there, tightly gripping his sword as he stared down at the body. It was only for a moment, but it seemed an eternity—which was broken as Valon spoke.

"I know about the kinda stuff that happened to you in your past . . . and how you'd do whatever you had to when you were going after the Nameless Pharaoh, but this is still kinda hard, isn't it?"

Marik hesitated, then nodded slowly. "I want to hate these people for waging war on us," he said darkly. "I want to hate them for the threat they're posing to people I care about—Ishizu, Rishid, Mokuba . . . Kade . . . and yet, they think they're doing what's right for Juno, the same as we do." He wiped the sword on the grass and turned to face the Australian. "I fully believe that they're wrong . . . but that's what makes this tragic. Whether it's them or us, someone's wrong, and then what are they or we dying for? Are we all dying in vain?"

Valon shook his head, not knowing what to say in reply. "I guess . . . that's somethin' we'll never know," he said at last. "We've just gotta survive the best we can. And hey . . . we didn't want things to come to this. Sapphire's tried lots of times to get these blokes to listen to reason, but they won't, so that's how come it's ended up like this." But even though he fully believed all that he was saying, he had the feeling that all of those involved in this would come out with various scars—most of them not physical.

"I know." Marik surveyed the battle field, and then blinked in shock as he caught sight of a flash of mint hair up ahead, flying free from under a shadowy man's hood. "That man looks familiar," he breathed, watching him charge forward with his sword and cut down two men in his path. As realization dawned, the Egyptian was stymied. That was the one who had brought the army here, and if Marik was seeing correctly, he had just killed two of his own men who were about to launch a catapult.

Valon stared as well, muttering something that Marik could not hear. That was also the man who had let him go free before, and the sight of the long mint hair made his blood run cold. He knew that hair, he knew it only too well, and when he thought about it, the mysterious man's voice matched too. He had not made the connection before because the thought was so outlandish, but now he was convinced of the truth.

"Hey!" Marik cried then, interrupting Valon's train of thought. "We have to get back in there! It looks like some of those men are trying to march up the mountain to get to the castle!" Without waiting for Valon's reply, he held his sword high and plunged back into the fray with a haunting war cry. He would not give them the chance to reach the top and harm those inside the castle in any way! His sister was in there, and Mokuba, and Kade! He would fight for them. He would protect them, no matter how many he had to kill in order to do so.

Valon watched him go, and then narrowed his eyes in resolution. He would not be beaten either. It was hard for him, to have to fight and kill people in this way, but they had insisted on becoming the enemy, and so Valon would do what he had to. Clutching his own sword, he ran after Marik to stop those who were determined to get into the castle. "You guys'll only get up there over my dead body!" he cried, his voice echoing, and he knew that what he said was a distinct possibility. _Shouldn't have put it like that,_ he decided.

* * *

Dartz had a feeling that his traitorous actions had been found out by the wrong people. As he felled another and then stopped momentarily to gaze across the battlefield, the impression only increased. Someone was surveying everything from the sky, but when he looked up, it was far too dark to see anything substantial. Cursing in his mind, he turned back to the war raging around him. Despite the fact that there was mass confusion everywhere, he was certain that his soldiers would catch on soon that he was actually not on their side and that he was attacking their comrades. 

Some of his men were apparently planning to go up the mountain and enter the castle while the others were fighting. He had been expecting that. The battle at the foot of the alp was only a distraction. He had heard some of his men planning it.

He drew his sword and lunged, plowing right back into the fray. He knew that he would be killed if his perfidious actions were discovered—and that he could be killed even if that was not the case. War was not a respecter of persons. He did not feel that he had any better chance of staying alive than any of the other skilled soldiers. Perhaps he had less of a chance because of his past sins.

He still wondered why he was risking everything for this land. Was it a selfish attempt to redeem himself for his previous madness? Was he still mad? It seemed that he would have to be. Did he care about the land? If it was saved now, it would only fall into disrepair later, he thought pessimistically. What was even the point?

As he continued to wrestle with himself, he was slashing at others with his blade, trying to keep them from reaching the mountain. He had grown numb to the screams of agony, but upon hearing another strangled cry he gave pause.

"It's Dartz! It's Master Dartz!"

He gripped his sword tightly. Master Dartz. . . . He had not been called that since he had been the leader of Paradius. The title brought back unwelcome memories of his warriors, especially of Alister, Valon, and Raphael. And it made him realize that some of the soldiers in this army had looked up to him as well. He was letting them down. He had used them for his own means, just as he had thoughtlessly used others before. Whether or not his goal was good did not change that.

He clenched his teeth and ran forward again. There was not time to feel guilty. He was too deep into this already. He had to finish it. Even if peace would not be lasting, it was peace that he was fighting for now. And if he could help achieve it, then at least, those sacrificed would not have died in vain.

* * *

In the meantime, Alister's group had journeyed further into the jungle. By now they had nearly reached the cave, and all were growing apprehensive. What were the fake priests planning? Would they indeed try to force the others to be meals for the dragon? 

All of them were also bewildered by the change in the weather as they approached their destination. Frost was upon the leaves, the wind was nipping at any and all exposed flesh, and though they could not see it, the sky had clouded over above them. It seemed as though winter was upon them, and despite the fact that they did not know why, they did realize that something was very wrong. No season should be able to appear so suddenly.

"How much farther is the cave?" Alister demanded at last.

"It's up this hill," one of the priests answered.

Seto grunted. "Well, either someone has a sick sense of humor or something's really gone wrong," he announced, and pointed to a nearby creek whose water was a deep crimson. Everyone gasped, and Alexander grabbed at Alister's arm.

"Someone's hurt!" he cried in horror.

Alister narrowed his eyes. "Or worse," he said grimly.

Even the priests seemed disturbed as everyone ascended the hill. Yellow and golden and rust-colored leaves crackled under their feet, which was not unusual, but the silence of everything else—save the bubbling, bloodied creek—definitely was. There were no chirping birds or chattering chipmunks. The trees, waving slightly with the wind, did not make an audible sound. But perhaps most unsettling of all, the dragon had not roared once. Usually it could be heard ages before the hill was gained.

As they arrived at the top and brushed pine branches out of their way, they discovered the reason for the silence—much to their consternation.

A massive, scaled body was sprawled across the ground, its arms, legs, and tail spread out limply. There was blood all around the form, dripping into the nearby creek from the sloping dirt—and there was also the remains of a human body, badly clawed from the dragon. In a hand drenched with blood was desperately clenched a sword, which had apparently been the means of the dragon's defeat.

"They killed each other," Volker breathed at last, after a long and stunned silence. Upon seeing that the others were frozen to their spots, he took several steps forward to the site of the battle. Who was the man who had done this, and why had he? Had he been foolishly trying to get the Talisman, or could he have been attempting to help the others so that they would be able to get inside the cave when they came? But if that were the case, how would he have known they were coming?

When he drew close enough to see the blood-streaked face of the warrior, a myriad of new questions spilled forth into his astonished mind and he could not comprehend what he was seeing. It was impossible, and yet his eyes could not lie. "Arvin!" he burst out, not knowing or caring that he was speaking aloud.

"Arvin!" Valon repeated, coming to life and pushing past the others. "But he was with us!"

"Perhaps he knew of a shortcut and snuck away to eliminate the dragon for us," Rishid suggested quietly. "Perhaps he knew that there was not another way, due to these men not actually being the priests and therefore, not having the power to soothe the beast." With that he walked forward carefully, going over to where Volker was still kneeling in disbelief. Rishid could understand the younger man's grief and confusion, and though he knew that they must make haste in order to save the others, he expressed his sincere condolences before advancing to the mouth of the tomb. Volker only briefly nodded in acknowledgement, wrapped up in his feelings, and motioned for the Egyptian to hurry to complete the task at hand. Rishid noted that not one priest stopped to attempt to comfort Volker in his loss.

After a short hesitation, the others followed Rishid inside the dark and dreary mausoleum, making certain that their torches were lit as the light of the outside faded away. The cave was filled with stalactites and stalagmites—and a near-constant dripping sound that echoed throughout the enclosed space. The party moved forward cautiously, making certain not to trip, and hoping that the path would be clear cut and devoid of many forks and twists. It seemed as if the trail went on endlessly, and all were growing frustrated, but as they turned a corner, they could see torches lit up ahead.

"We are on the correct path," Rishid declared, but for some reason he did not feel the relief that he was hoping they would.

As they followed the newfound light, they were guided to what was obviously the final bed of the famed Geates. His stone coffin, adorned with many jewels and carefully-carved designs of importance to Juno's people that signified what a great man they had believed him to be, lay ahead on a pedestal. A collective gasp went up when they saw that the lid was off—and that a marvelous glow was coming from inside.

"It's pretty," Alexander said softly, entranced by the lights. He went forward before anyone could stop him, and upon reaching the casket, he leaned over and withdrew the missing Talisman. It continued to shine brightly, apparently not adverse to the doppelganger handling it, and Alexander held it up reverently, his fascination obvious.

"So it was here all along," Alister said quietly, shaking his head. And when he thought about it, and what they had been told, he realized that all of this seemed too easy. He had the very bad feeling that they were playing right into someone's hands—and not necessarily into the priests'. Perhaps, if this stone truly did have sentience, it was what was pulling the strings and it had wanted to be found, for some dark purpose or another. Alister felt apprehensive, and when he exchanged a glance with Rishid, he found that the older man felt the same way.

"Thank you so much for finding it for us," came the smooth and unfeeling voice of the main false priest. He stepped forward, sword in hand, and the others followed suit—each one baring a weapon. "You even took care of our dragon problem. None of us could slay the beast, and of course, the real fools who guard this spot wouldn't tell the dragon to let us pass." He smirked now, the greed apparent in his eyes. "Now, do hand it over and maybe we'll be merciful enough to spare your lives, even though we didn't spare theirs."

"This is outrageous!" Rishid declared, righteous fury in his eyes. He knew that these men must work for Colchis, but at the moment that fact seemed insignificant. More than who they answered to, what mattered was their selfishness and what they wanted to unleash. "We will not be part of your wicked, covetous plot."

"But we aren't going to die, either," Seto spoke up, his eyes dark and cold. "We're going to make sure that this nonsense ends so that we can all return to our lives!"

"There's more of us than there are of you," Alister remarked. "What makes you think you even could win?"

The greed-filled man continued to smile evilly. "The Talisman, of course," he replied. "It will obey orders from Colchis, and right now his orders are for all of you to die!" He stabbed the air with his sword in emphasis, and he and his followers advanced.

Immediately the Talisman sprang to life. It glowed fiercely, burning Alexander and forcing him to drop it as he gave a pained cry. Uncaring of the injury it had just caused, the jewel hovered in the air as its brightness forced all to look away. Then there were more screams of agony, echoing up and down the ancient walls—until, abruptly, all was silent.

At last Rishid dared to look up. It half-surprised him that he was still alive, and as he gazed at his companions, he found that all the rest of them were as well. The Talisman had instead killed Colchis's men, for whatever reason. The Egyptian gazed at their lifeless bodies sadly, shaking his head, and then realized that the pendant was now around his own neck. It had chosen him to be its wearer, at least temporarily, but Rishid still could not feel peace. Something was drastically wrong, not just with the Talisman, but with their friends and family. They had to quickly return to the site of the battle, but they would not be able to succeed for hours yet unless the Talisman and Alexander could combine their powers to teleport everyone there. Rishid prayed that they would not already be too late.


	12. The Endless Waltz

**Notes: Thank you to all reviewers who have been patient while I gathered my thoughts for these final two chapters. I hope you will continue to stay with me as I write the last part of this trilogy, _Purple Skies_!**

**Chapter Twelve**

The battle was not going well. It was becoming hard to hold off the soldiers who were determined to ascend the mountain, and many of Volker's rebels were wounded or dead—as were those who were part of the army after taking their journey to this strange new world.

Valon was injured in the shoulder and upper arm, but he continued to struggle valiantly to fight. Blood was dripping into his eyes from another wound on his forehead, and in vexation he repeatedly brushed the sticky substance away before at last tearing off part of his shirt and tying it around his head. As he plunged back into the fray, a harsh pain ripped into his back.

His eyes widened in shock and agony as the blade was withdrawn from his flesh. He shuddered, doubling over as the blood rose in his throat. As he began to cough it up, his vision swirled and he collapsed, falling forward into the brown and crinkled grass that rushed up to meet him. His last coherent thought was that he had tried and failed. _It's up to the rest of you now, mates,_ he said silently as darkness descended over him.

* * *

Marik was further up the mountain, desperately sword-fighting with another of the rebels. His opponent feinted, but the Egyptian was not fooled and quickly delivered the killing blow before it could instead be presented to him. Breathing heavily, he then looked up, his conversation with Valon echoing in his mind.

The Australian was right—they would not be engaging in this battle if it was not to protect their loved ones. It was horrible to have to kill, but to save the lives of those precious to them, they were willing to. Still, Marik wondered if it was doing any good. Their side was losing, and it looked as though it would only keep getting worse.

He swallowed the lump in his throat as he ran forward, cutting down two more foes. What if some of them had already reached the palace? Some of them could have sneaked past. He clasped his sword tightly, not wanting to think it but knowing it was possible. With all of his heart he wanted to go there and find out, and yet he knew that it was impractical. So many others could cause trouble here if he left, and everything was probably fine at the palace anyway. But there remained the nagging doubt—what if it was not?

He had just made up his mind to check anyway when a blade cut viciously into his leg, badly lacerating it. He cried out in pain, his balance being thrown off by the unexpected assault. Dizziness started to overwhelm him, but he fought for consciousness. The sword had come out of nowhere, and as he looked up, a soldier was lunging toward him for the final stroke. Frantically Marik jabbed up with his blade, catching the other young man in the chest. The eyes, which had not seen much more of life in years than Marik had widened, and as the body fell, Marik could only roll out of the way.

For a moment he lay there, gasping in pain, unable to erase the other boy's image from his mind. Over and over, that haunted look was displayed before his mental eyes, as he tried and failed to stand up. The thought crossed his mind that he might never walk again. But no, he would not accept that. Gritting his teeth firmly, he forced himself to begin to crawl upward, toward the palace. He would not be any good on the battleground like this.

* * *

Raphael had overpowered a soldier who was not that much older than he himself had been upon first joining Doom. But no matter how he tried to reason with the youth about Colchis's selfishness—and Fafnir's before him—it did not help. He was just as stubborn as Raphael had been, and just as disillusioned with the world. This saddened the strong blonde, and he wondered anew why he, Valon, and Alister had been granted second chances at life when there were so many like them who would never get that chance.

"What makes you believe that Colchis really wants what'll help Juno?" Raphael demanded now. He was gripping the boy's shoulders tightly, not wanting to give him the chance to get up and attack. He also did not want to kill the youth. If possible, Raphael would simply take him prisoner.

"He's given us no reason to disbelieve it!" was the indignant answer. "The real traitor is Master Dartz!"

At these words Raphael paled. He knew that he had seen a flash of mint hair on the battlefield, but he had been hoping—praying—that he had been wrong, or that it was just a coincidence. But he remembered what Alexander had said. Dartz was in Juno, and so Raphael had probably seen correctly. "Master Dartz?" he exclaimed now. "What did he do now?"

Bitterness gleamed in the fiery orbs. "He's turned against all of us and our ideals!" the boy replied furiously, and Raphael could see how much that had emotionally wounded him. "I don't know whether he's on your side or if he's just on his own, but he's been cutting down my comrades!" He reached up, taking hold of Raphael's arms. "Are you going to tell me that's justified? Just because you think you're right, it's okay for him to turn against the people he was supposed to be leading?"

Raphael slumped back, at a loss for words. How could he give an honest answer to that? He knew how it felt to be betrayed by Dartz. The pain still burned strong within him. And even if Dartz had a good reason for what he had done now, could Raphael ever condone such betrayal? The soldier here had obviously looked up to him, as Raphael had in the past.

"Answer me!" the boy cried.

Raphael shook his head. "I can't," he growled. "I don't know the answer."

"You don't think it's right, either!" came the challenge. "Admit it!"

Raphael could not take the added pressure. "I DON'T KNOW!" he boomed in distress.

* * *

It was to this scene of chaos that the others returned. Alexander had been unable to teleport them for two reasons—first, because of the size of the group, and second, because he had lost his sense of direction in the woods. And so they had struggled to find their way back, with the Talisman glowing blue when they were on the right path and red when they were not. And after they had come out of the deadened forest, they had encountered Chris and Ironheart, who were also on their way to the battle. As they had come the final bit of the way, the weather had steadily worsened. By the time they arrived at the battlegrounds, it was snowing.

The next moments were filled with perplexity and alarm as family members and friends desperately ran over the battleground in search of loved ones. The fighting was all but over, in favor of Colchis's side, and the wounded and dead from both sides were everywhere.

As Rishid maneuvered his way through the strewn forms, trying his best not to think the worst, he came across a sight that both relieved and horrified him. Marik was crawling, struggling with all his might despite the obvious physical anguish, to climb the mountain. Every few feet he had to stop and get his breath, but then he would start again in determination. Rishid could see that his brother had left a trail of blood in his wake.

Immediately Rishid went to him, calling his name as he knelt down beside him. Marik looked up at him in both disbelief and awe, wondering what sort of spectre this was. Then he saw the Talisman around Rishid's neck. Shakily he reached out, touching it to see if it was real.

"You found it," he said weakly, and smiled. But then he sobered once more. "Rishid, forget me. Go see if Ishizu and the others are safe!"

"I will see," Rishid replied instantly, and took Marik into his arms. "But you will come as well."

Elsewhere, Alister was wandering amongst the bodies and just feeling a certain numbness to the scenes around him. He hated war, and he hated the pain it brought. But this battlefield only made him feel weary, thinking of how nothing was ever likely to change. There would always be fighting, always people dying for their causes. And would it ever help, he wondered, or would it be an endless waltz that would repeat again and again to the end of time—war, peace, revolution. . . .

Then he caught sight of Valon laying facedown in the grass. Fearing the worst, he swiftly fell to his knees and examined the wound the brunette had gained. It looked deep, he saw grimly, and it had bled a lot. Then there seemed to be other, less serious injuries as well. But Valon was still breathing. He was alive.

As the redhead was tending to the wounds, Valon stirred, starting from the sudden touch but then looking up. He grinned weakly, blinking away the cobwebs from his vision. "Hey, mate," he greeted. "I think we lost."

Alister grunted. "I didn't know you were a quitter."

"I'm not," Valon answered in a pained tone, wincing from the pressure on the wound, "but I think I know when we've been licked."

"We'll see," Alister responded, seeing Raphael on his way over to them. "We found the Talisman, by the way. Or it found us, however you want to look at it."

"Well, that's one good thing, I s'ppose. . . . Hey!" Valon cried, jerking away. "Ow! Go easy on the merchandise!"

Alister raised an eyebrow. "Merchandise? What are you—a bounty hunter's prize?"

Valon muttered in response.

Quickly Raphael knelt down as he approached them, concern apparent in his eyes. He had finally given up on his debate with the opposing soldier and had left him bound when he heard the news that the others had returned. "Is Valon hurt bad?" he demanded to know now, wondering when Valon had been injured and if it could have been prevented if he, Raphael, had been there.

"He'll live," Alister answered.

"'Course I will!" Valon interjected.

Now Alister looked their comrade up and down. "You don't look too much the worse for wear," he observed.

Raphael sighed. "I guess not," he admitted, though he felt completely drained both mentally and physically. The conversation about Dartz and knowing that their former leader was here, somewhere, made him feel all the more uneasy than before. It seemed to him that he would never escape from the painful memories of the past. He knew he needed to forgive Dartz, somehow, but he was not certain that he ever fully could—though he did pity the man and his madness.

* * *

Alexander wandered through the carnage left by the fierce battle, his ice-blue eyes wide in confusion and horror. His wings drooped, both because he did not have enough strength to hold them up and because he was sickened by what he saw around him. He could not understand why so many people always had to die, as they had now. He supposed that they had not been afraid to die, or they would not have rushed out into battle, but he still felt sad.

As he went around a corner, he remembered something that Alister had told him not that long ago. _"Sometimes people fight even when they are afraid,"_ he had said after it had become obvious that a battle was imminent. _"That takes more courage than to fight when you're not."_ Alexander supposed that made sense. He wondered how many of the deceased here had actually wanted to live, and felt a pang of guilt for having tried to kill Alister in the past when that had not been what Alister wanted. But Alister did not hold it against him, and since then, Alexander had strived to protect Alister and his friends and make certain that they stayed alive.

Suddenly catching sight of familiar mint-green hair in the grass up ahead, Alexander broke into a run. He felt dizzy, his thoughts racing. Dartz was not supposed to get hurt. That was simply the way it was. Dartz had hurt others in the past, when he had been under the spell of the Orichalcos, but Alexander could not think of a time when Dartz himself had actually sustained injuries. Dartz was his father figure, always watching out for and taking care of Alexander when the doppelganger was hurt. Alexander knew that the Atlantean cared about him, even though he did not expressly say so in words the way Alexander was prone to do.

Barely avoiding stepping on some of the other bodies, Alexander made his way over to where Dartz was laying on his stomach. Swallowing hard, he reached out and gripped the man's shoulders fearfully. _Please be alive. . . ._ Upon not receiving an answer, Alexander carefully turned him onto his back, certain that his own hands were trembling as he did so. "Dartz?" he choked out, his wings going even more slack. If Dartz was dead. . . . Alexander did not want to think about that.

Dartz stirred, his golden eyes opening halfway as he tried to focus on the worried creature leaning over him. "So . . . you survived," he muttered, his voice barely able to be heard. He coughed, feeling the coppery taste of blood in his mouth. "I wondered . . . what had happened to you. . . ." He himself had ended up in a duel to the death with a man who had been sent to spy on Dartz and kill him if he did not do his job. His opponent was dead, and Dartz did not think he would live much longer, himself.

"You're hurt!" Alexander cried, shaking with alarm and worry. He could see the blood coming from Dartz's chest and he could feel it running over his hands, but he was not fascinated by it the way he usually was. Panicked, the creature looked around for something he could use to press against the wound, but found nothing. In desperation he tore off part of his own shirt and worked painstakingly to stop the flow of crimson.

"Don't bother with that," Dartz informed him, shuddering slightly. He did not fear death. Sometimes, during his long tenure upon the earth, he had longed for it. It had been a lonely time for him during most of his ten thousand years of existence. After the Orichalcos had started to affect his mind and sanity, part of him had often resisted its pull, wanting to be free of the whisperings that only he could hear. Then there had been the war, the end result of which had forced him to wander the earth, all alone with only his thoughts and the murmurings of the Orichalcos as his companions. He had often wondered what was to become of him; only after witnessing Pharaoh Atemu's actions several millennia later had he realized that the Leviathan could still be revived and that his life could still have a purpose.

After so many centuries alone, the Orichalcos had corrupted his mind completely and he had completely succumbed to it; there was no longer any small part of his soul that balked at what the ancient force wanted. To have at last been released from that force and left with only his own mind to make decisions with, Dartz had felt a strange mixture of feelings: loneliness and relief, confusion and joy. He had Chris and Ironheart with him again, though his wife was still lost to him. The Orichalcos no longer influenced him until he lost all sense of reason, but still, often on late nights, he fancied that he heard it again. He heard it in the wind blowing through the trees. He heard it in the sound of the creek that was near their home and in Sky's soft whines and growls. He could not escape from it. It had been a part of him for too long, and he often felt as though he was going mad again.

He had tried to stop Doom Reborn when it began, knowing how the force would cause the new leaders to suffer insanity and to bring chaos to the earth. But in another way his reasons for halting their schemes had been selfish. Haunted by the lost souls of many that he had imprisoned and who no longer had bodies to return to, Dartz had come to realize that the only thing he could do that would allow them to rest in peace was to prevent the same tragedy from repeating itself. And he had succeeded in freeing the trapped souls and delaying Doom Reborn, if only for the time being. That was when he had met the strange creature that was now kneeling before him, starting to sob as he realized that the man he loved as a father figure was dying.

"I didn't realize . . . that it would hurt . . . so much," Alexander choked out in broken words, trembling as the blood refused to stop flowing. Why would it not stop? "You're the one who's hurt . . . but . . . it feels like I'm being torn apart inside. Is this what it feels like . . . for someone you love to die?" He swallowed hard. "Is this how Valon and Raphael would have felt if I had killed Alister?" He leaned over, his shaggy, fiery hair falling across his face as he realized how utterly helpless he was to stop this. _I can cause death, but I can't stop it. . . . I can't save lives, but only end them. . . ._ He wanted Dartz to live, but he did not have the power to grant it.

"Now, now . . . none of that." Dartz could hardly force himself to speak, but he still struggled to, watching Alexander with glassed-over eyes. This being, who had abruptly fallen from the sky with a badly broken and torn wing, had been a pest, immediately latching onto Dartz because he "loved what Alister hated." But even though Alexander had at last started to develop thoughts and opinions independent of Alister's views, he still loved Dartz. Indeed, it had not been mere instinct that had drawn Alexander to the Atlantean; it was so much more, and Dartz doubted he would ever fully understand.

Nor would he likely ever understand why he had developed a fondness for the odd doppelganger. But Alexander had grown on him, obviously, or he never would have allowed the creature to stay with him during the long months as his wing had healed and as he had learned to fly again. Alexander had loved him and had been devoted to making Dartz happy as well as Alister, and he had tried as best as he knew how.

"I . . ." The man coughed again, pained by the motion, and could not attempt to choke out what he wanted to say for several long minutes, during which Alexander watched him with wide, horrified eyes. At last Dartz groaned, allowing himself to go slack. He gazed off at an unclear point in the distance as he spoke again. "I am . . . trusting you to help look after Chris, now. She . . . she had always been fond of you. . . ." Even though he did not fear death, he did not want to die. He wanted to be there for Chris. He would miss Ironheart as well, of course, but Chris was still a child to him, even though she was actually so much older than she appeared to be. But they had all lost so much time together, when he had been corrupted by the Orichalcos. It seemed that he had only barely begun to start learning again about Chris and how she and Ironheart had changed over the years. He knew that Chris would take the news of his death hard, as would Ironheart, but there was little he could do.

"No!" Alexander wailed, kneeling down further and laying his head on Dartz's shoulder. Inwardly the man sighed at the contact, but he had come to accept that with Alexander it was inevitable. And it was not as if he would experience any more of the creature's cuddling sessions. This would be the last. He had to admit, he would miss the pest. Alexander was lovable and innocent, perhaps in some ways representing a bygone era, when humans were not selfish and not only thinking of ways to use other people. Alexander thought only of making others happy, in his childlike way.

"No," the redhead whispered again, burrowing against Dartz's shoulder. "Don't die! Please . . . I know you don't want to!" Again panicked, Alexander hugged his adopted father while trying to avoid hitting the wound. He could feel the life slipping from Dartz, but he did not want to accept it. He could not accept it. He had to think of some way for Dartz to remain here. And yet, he knew of nothing he could do. He was not knowledgeable with religion, either, so he did not know how to pray for help. But he did plead that if Anyone was listening, to please spare Dartz's life. He knew that Dartz had done horrible things while he had been influenced by the Orichalcos, but Alexander saw good in him as well. And of late the man had only wanted to live quietly and in peace with his family. It seemed so unfair that this war had to take him away. . . . "You've been . . . one of the only people who ever loved me," he whispered brokenly.

Dartz felt his vision clouding over, though he still managed to register Alexander's words. Weakly he reached out with a shaking hand, struggling to lay it on Alexander's head. When he felt the soft red hair against his palm, he knew he had succeeded.

That was the last thing he managed to do.

* * *

The snow seemed to blow much more fiercely at that moment, and as if in response, the Talisman glowed brighter than before. Rishid, who was carrying Marik up the palace steps to where they could see Ishizu, Kade, and Mokuba at the top, suddenly grunted in pain as the pendant burned through his clothes to his skin.

Marik looked to him in concern. "What is it, Rishid?" he demanded.

"I . . . don't know," Rishid gasped, seeing the others running to them—and to Seto, who had hiked up on his own. "I'm afraid the Talisman wants to go elsewhere, but where that is, I cannot imagine!"

Now Ishizu reached them, surveying the scene and quickly coming to the conclusion that Rishid was relatively well while Marik was injured. The boy had tied his shirt around the leg wound, but blood could still be seen seeping through. "You must both come inside now!" she declared, and snow swirled all around her—much to everyone's disbelief. It was as if the snowflakes were embracing her, bestowing some sort of honor upon her, and Ishizu suddenly had an eerie foreboding.

"Mr. Marik! You're hurt!" Kade cried in alarm, paying little attention to the strange phenomena. The only thing that he was interested in at the moment was his dear friend's well-being.

Mokuba, who had ran to Seto upon seeing him, now looked up from their embrace and hurried to the Ishtars. "Is it bad?" he gasped, seeing the signs of the blood.

Marik shrugged helplessly. "I couldn't say," he realized, "but it's not fatal."

"So you'll be alright, Mr. Marik?" Kade chirped.

Marik smiled. "Yes, I will be," he replied, and fully believed it.

Now the Talisman did not want to wait any longer. Without further warning it disentangled itself from around Rishid's neck, hovering in the air before abruptly dropping over Ishizu's head to rest around her own neck.

Her reaction was surprising. With a gasp, she doubled forward, feeling as if a strange, unwelcome force had just entered her body. It felt as if every inch was burning. Then she was almost certain that she heard a cold, wicked voice in her mind.

"_The dragon is dead!"_ it cried in a female's tones. _"Now I am free to roam again, and you will be my eyes and ears! You will provide my body!"_ Then it was gone, and Ishizu straightened up and blinked. The pain had vanished too, and suddenly she did not recall the voice.

"Sister! Sister!" Slowly she became aware of Marik calling. "Sister, are you alright?"

Ishizu looked at him and at Rishid, who were watching her in concern. "Yes," she said in confusion, "I am fine. Come, let's go inside."

The snow swirled around her again, following her until she and the others reached the palace doors.

_Fin_


End file.
